How tech-dependency and pandemic isolation have created ‘anxious generation’

What parents and teachers can do to foster a sense of belonging in the 'scared new world'

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Unchecked use of technology and pandemic isolation have ‘reshaped’ how teenagers develop – but it’s not too late to intervene.

This is the stark warning of educator Amber Chandler, who suggests teens are struggling with unprecedented levels of anxiety in this ‘scared new world’, which presents a major challenge for parents and schools. However, the teacher says children can learn to flourish and thrive if given the right support.

No phones at bedtime, ‘no-tech’ public spaces and letting children handle their own problems are among scientific evidence-based solutions offered in her book Reclaiming Connection – How Schools and Families Can Nurture Belonging in a Scared New World.

Chandler also suggests parents become more ‘present’ by not scrolling on their smartphones when with their children. They can then take the lead in teaching their offspring how to be in the ‘here and now’.

Schools also have a vital role to play, she suggests, by helping students to navigate technology responsibly and safely.

Chandler’s position is not isolated, in fact concerns are growing worldwide among parents, schools and policymakers over the impact of smart phones and other devices on young people. Australia, for example, has recently banned social media for under 16s and other countries are considering similar policies.

Besides the unprecedented challenges teens face in the hyper-connected digital world, this generation of adolescents experienced an equally unprecedented global pandemic which isolated them from peers and shut off many developmental opportunities, while making many young people dependent on screens.

“The addictive nature of students’ online experiences began during the pandemic but has progressed now to a point where we must make some hard decisions, courageous decisions,” she explains. “These decisions require the ‘adults in the room’ to look at the evidence that screens, used indiscriminately, are toxic.

“The Scared New World that I fear we are inhabiting is the result of a reckless alchemy concocted from the isolation of the pandemic amalgamated with digital distractions far more powerful than we had suspected.”

Chandler hopes to counter the detrimental impact of the pandemic on young people’s social and emotional development by helping families, communities and schools come together to help them succeed.

She presents solutions based on her experiences spanning more than 20 years as a English Language Arts teacher, including seemingly simple suggestions such as teaching children about their data and digital footprint, and embracing opportunities for young people to get involved in clubs, groups and face-to-face activities.

An initial hurdle for many parents and teachers to overcome, she suggests, is pandemic fatigue – where many adults are simply ‘sick of’ talking about the pandemic, making addressing any issues doubly challenging.

“As I’m learning more, it is becoming clear that it isn’t something we can wish away. I’m saddened because the trauma inflicted on all of us has left its physical mark on us which then is playing out in the classroom and society,” she says.

The author also shares anecdotes about her own shortcomings as a parent to demonstrate the challenges that families face. She reveals she’s a ‘snowplough’ parent who clears obstacles from her children’s path, but who wasn’t alert to the dangers of smartphones. Now aware of the neurological changes in young people caused by screen use, Chandler advises parents to delay introducing phones and screens as long as possible.

“I’ll be honest, as an adult in this situation, I felt pretty guilty about my own children’s social media use when I realized that it was 100% designed to addict them and then mine their identity,” she explains.

But it’s not just parents – schools are increasingly reaching to screens to educate and test their students, something Chandler has deep concerns about.

“I am not anti-technology, but I am very much worried about the implications of our obsession with data collection that simply leads to remediation upon remediation. Instead, the younger years should be about discovery and innovation, problem solving and collaboration,” she explains.

Her advice to families, schools and mentors is to be compassionate about the decisions made until now, but to insist on change for the future: “We have to recognize that we were duped. Most people simply did not know that cellphones were addictive.”

The author doesn’t shy away from holding herself accountable, and encourages others to too. Chandler says: “Unpopular opinion: Families need to hold themselves accountable. Small children cannot drive to the store, buy an expensive device,  and regulate screen time when they can’t even tie their shoes.  We bought the phones, iPads, and gaming consoles.”