Talk of the Towns 1/12/18

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Engineer: John Greenman Community concerns and opportunities: Screen time and kids: What is healthy? How do we talk about it? Key Discussion Points: What are some of the “developmental tasks” as adolescents grow… what are they learning and mastering at this stage of life? How do some of these developmental tasks intersect with access to and use of media, both the sorts we spoke about in your youth, and those now prevalent: cell phones, social media, hand-held devices for movies, music, etc.? What are some of the concerns about youth and screentime? What does research in your field telling us? (brain development, bullying, intimidation, early experimentation, etc.) What sort of conversations are you having with your children and what ground rules are you and other parents you know talking about? How do you see some of “screen” issues presenting themselves in a school setting? Schools use “screens” as part of the educational process… what are some underlying assumptions and cautions that schools employ? What conversations are you having with students and their parents? Guests: Kendra Rudolph Rand, parent Ian Cameron, Lecturer in Human Development and Family Studies, University of Maine Edith Dubois, Social Worker, Mount Desert Island Regional School system