Who among us has not worried about the impact that technology has on children?  Who has not wondered about how to set limits on screen time?  Is there an addiction to technology? How does a person parent in this digital age?  On Wednesday, March 30, at 6:30 in the Commons at 1088 Tucker Road, North Dartmouth, Friends Academy, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, author of The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, will answer these questions and more. This is the second in a two-part Speaker Series that is focused on the health and wellness of the whole child. It is free and open to the public.

Dr. Steiner-Adair will examine ways in which technology and media change how children learn and grow, and speak to parents about how to balance the benefits of technology while reducing the risks it poses at every stage of development. She will identify digital age challenges for parents and educators, and offer insights and give advice to aid parents in achieving greater confidence and authority as they engage with the tech revolution unfolding in their households. Steiner-Adair will explain the psychological fallout that children are experiencing and give parents tools to deal with it.  A question and answer period will follow the presentation.  Stephen Barker, Head of Friends Academy explains, “There is no issue more pressing or more on the minds of parents than the questions that evolve from technology use. Dr. Steiner-Adair is on the forefront of answering those questions, and we are delighted to bring her to Friends for this forum.”

A leading expert specializing in child development, education, family relationships, and workplace/family balance, Dr. Steiner-Adair speaks and consults on a wide range of topics, including social and emotional literacy, nourishing healthy relationships in the digital age, and developing a thoughtful approach to technology in school and life.  Dr. Steiner-Adair is a clinical instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who maintains a private practice in Massachusetts. An associate psychologist at McLean Hospital, she speaks worldwide to numerous audiences including educators, health professionals, PTAs, camps and religious groups, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

In response to community requests, the doors at Friends Academy will open at 5:45 to provide tours of the school. For directions to Friends Academy and more information, go to www.friendsacademy1810.org.