Teen's Guide to Face to Face Connections in a Screen-to-Screen World

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Teen's Guide to Face to Face Connections in a Screen-to-Screen World by Jonathan McKee and Alyssa McKee - Over the past year or so, most of us have spent far more time using our smartphones or computers to stay in touch with people. We've teleworked, we've had conferences and meetings using Zoom, and students of all ages have relied on virtual learning. Of course, today's young people have grown up being digitally connected, but what effect is that having on their real life relationships? 

Youth culture specialist Jonathan McKee teams up with his twenty-something daughter Alyssa McKee to talk to teens about having meaningful communication with others in the midst of all the screens that tend to dominate and distract. The book starts with a brief history of how we got to where we are today - a digital world in which screens are the primary communication venue. 

Jonathan and Alyssa take turns writing chapters, each devoted to a "random realization" about the effect of screen time on real life conversations and advice on how to make real communication and connection a priority. Each chapter tells a story and the real life experience is summarized into a pithy Realization. There are conversation starter questions to think about or to discuss with a friend. Some are simple and fun, some are more challenging and thought-provoking, but all are designed to get young people thinking and communicating with loved ones.

One chapter I especially liked was "Killing Small Talk" in which Alyssa offers advice and a challenge on getting past shallow conversation by asking second-level questions. Questions that get someone to put their phone down and think about how to answer. In other chapters, Jonathan encourages young people to have tech-free days to refresh, and to recognize that social media posts have a much bigger impact on the future than they may think. The authors challenge us to evaluate whether our devices are distracting us from accomplishing goals or from paying attention to the people that are in the same room. The advice is practical and offered from personal experience, so it's empathetic and understanding, and not preachy or condescending. 

An excellent resource recommended for teens, young adults, and for parents too! We can all benefit from learning to connect face-to-face and prioritize real communication.

From the publisher:

What if your phone truly helped you connect with people more than disconnect with those around you? You CAN dare to be relationally different in a screen-to-screen culture.

But . . . honestly, I like my phone.

So what should I do?

You probably enjoy screens but don't want them hurting your relationships with the people who matter most, right? What if you could improve your face-to-face relationships, develop deeper connections, resolve conflict, and confidently communicate with friends, parents, teachers, roommates, coworkers, potential employers . . . even the barista at your local coffee shop?

What if you paused to think before you posted, avoiding some of the hurt and consequences that almost always lead to regret after?

What if you became a master of your own screen-time instead of letting it master you?

What if you became more screen-wise?

40 real-life realizations including . . .

*Your phone doesn't have an UNSEND button.

*Texting is a dumb way to manage conflict.

*We all need a digital detox every once in a while.

*Sometimes less is more.

*Phones are a great tool for connecting with people outside of the room when they don't interfere with the people inside the room.

*Sometimes the people we love the most are the people we ignored all day.

Author and youth culture expert, Jonathan McKee, and his daughter Alyssa McKee, uncover forty random realization they've discovered over the last five years. Screens provide fun platforms to connect with faraway friends; and sometimes the people we love the most are the people we ignore all day. Jonathan and Alyssa help young adults navigate face-to-face communication in a screen-to-screen world too! Maybe they'll help you navigate face-to-face communication in a screen-to-screen world too!

By the same author: The Guy's Guide to Four Battles

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

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