>> TOMORROW NIGHT THE MOVIE SCREENAGERS WILL BE SHOWN AT
EASTHAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTED BY THE EASTHAMPTON
HEALTHY YOUTH COALITION.
THE FILM-MAKER, A PHYSICIAN AND A MOM, DOCUMENTS THE RISKS 6 NEW
TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS MOST TEENS AND A LOT OF ADULTS, TOO, WHO DO
THEIR PHONES, CONSTANTLY LOOKING DOWN, TEXTING, SNAPCHATING AND
ALL THE REST.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH DON NORMAN, SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT
COUNCILOR AT WHITE BROOKE ELEMENTARY AND RUTH EVER, THE
COALITION COORDINATOR.
>> WELL IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK CAME THROUGH AN EMAIL OR
SOMETHING A WHILE AGO AND I SAW IT AND I THOUGHT BOY THAT'S A
TOPIC THAT SO MANY PARENTS ARE INTERESTED IN, AND WE JUST HEAR
IT AGAIN AND AGAIN FROM PEOPLE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE SCREENS AND HOW DO WE SET
LIMITS.
I THINK JON AND I BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT IN DIFFERENT
WAYS, MOSTLY ANECDOTAL THE SO WHEN I SAW THE FILM, THE WOMAN
WAS A PHYSICIAN, A FILM-MAKER AND SHE IS HERSELF A PARENT OF
TEENAGERS.
>> HAS ALL THE CREDIBILITY IN THE WORLD.
>> YES, AND SHE STARTED FILMING HER OWN FAMILY AND IT SORT OF
TURNED INTO A FILM ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SCREENS ON THE TEENAGE
BRAIN AND WHAT PARENTS AND SCHOOLS ARE TRYING TO DO ABOUT
IT.
SO WE STARTED LOOKING FOR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS WHO WE
COULD HELP BRING IT TO EASTHAMPTON BECAUSE WE DO HAVE
TO PAY FOR IT.
WE, ACTUALLY, GOT A WONDERFUL RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF SPONSORS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES,
FROM OUR COALITION AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE'RE
PARTNERING ON IT, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
>> WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN SCHOOL?
>> WHAT I AM SEEING IN SCHOOL IS -- LET ME FIRST TALK ABOUT THE
SCHOOL A BIT.
WE HAVE A POLICY THAT THERE ARE NO PHONES ON THE CHILDREN DURING
THE SCHOOL DAY.
THEY CAN HAVE THEM BEFORE THEY COME IN.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GO IN THE LOCKERS DURING THE DAY AND THEN
AFTER THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, RETRIEVE THEM AGAIN.
THERE IS SOMETIMES THAT THEY WILL GET THEM OUT, BUT THINGS GO
PRETTY SMOOTHLY.
I THINK WHAT I SEE AFTER SCHOOL, THOUGH, CHILDREN ON THE PHONES
AND EVEN IN THE MORNING WHERE YOU HAVE A GROUP OF FOLKS ON THE
PHONE AND SOMEONE IS TRYING TO GET INTO A CONVERSATION, AND
THEY ARE IGNORED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SO WRAPPED UP INTO WHAT THEY
ARE DOING ON THE SCREEN.
>> THEY ARE SNAPCHATING.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS, YOU
KNOW.
I HAVE SOME CHILDREN, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN FRIENDS COME
OVER I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
THEY ARE SITTING THERE NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON THE COUCH AND THEY
ARE SNAPCHATING OTHER PEOPLE.
AND IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.
I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE, RIGHT?
>> NO, NOT AT ALL.
AND THIS IS WHERE PARENTS ARE REALLY STRUGGLING, IS WHAT IS
APPROPRIATE AND WHAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
>> THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
I AM JUST GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT NOW.
WHOEVER IS OVER AT MY HOUSE, NOT APPROPRIATE.
>> BUT THAT'S THEIR WORLD SO HOW DO WE HELP THEM NEGOTIATE THAT
SO THAT THEY HAVE A SENSE OF OH, I ACTUALLY VALUE THE PERSON
SITTING ACROSS FROM ME AS OPPOSED TO I VALUE THE PERSON I
AM CONNECTING WITH ON MY PHONE BECAUSE THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT
IS THEIR SOCIAL WORLD.
THEY ARE HAVING RELATIONSHIPS ON THEIR SCREEN.
>> THAT'S THEIR WORLD.
THEY CAN'T DISCONNECT FROM THAT OFTENTIMES WITHOUT A LITTLE
GUIDANCE.
>> FOR SOME OF THOSE KIDS THAT MIGHT BE A GREAT SAFETY NET
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO PEOPLE OR MAYBE PEOPLE ARE
NOT TALKING TO THEM.
SO THAT'S HEART-BREAKING AS WELL TO THINK THAT THAT'S HOW THE
PHONE MIGHT BE USED.
BUT IN THE FILM IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT SOME OTHER RISKS YOU
TALKED ABOUT SOCIAL ISOLATION, BUT DIGITAL ADDICTION, IS THAT
REAL?
>> OH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S PART OF WHY THE COALITION IS ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN THIS.
OUR PRIMARY MISSION IS AROUND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, AND
WE DID NOT ACTUALLY SEE IT AS THAT MUCH OF A STRETCH.
OUR COMMITMENT IS TO RAISING HEALTHY YOUTH AND STRONG
FAMILIES AND WE KNOW THAT THE PROCESS OF ADDICTION TO ANY
NUMBER OF THINGS, NOT JUST SUBSTANCES, THE DOPAMINE
RESPONSE, HOW THE BRAINS RESPOND ARE VERY SIMILAR, UNFORTUNATELY,
AND THERE IS A STORY IN THE FILM ABOUT A YOUNG PERSON WHO MERELY
BECOMES ADDICTED, SORT OF -- YOU CAN SEE THE FILM BUT THEY KIND
OF GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HIM HAVING TO REMOVE HIMSELF FROM
THE SCREENS BECAUSE HE'S LITERALLY ADDICTED LIKE 24 HOURS
A DAY KIND OF THING.
>> DO YOU THINK THAT WE HAVE GONE OVER THE TOP?
I THINK IT'S A CATCH 22.
ON THE ONE HAND IT'S WONDERFUL, THIS TECHNOLOGY IS COMING IN AND
FUNDING AND ISN'T THIS GREAT AND WE HAVE THE SMART SCREENS OR THE
SMARTBOARDS OR WHATEVER THEY ARE CALLED BUT ON THE OTHER HAND
IT'S SORT OF REPLACING SOME OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE
LEARNING PROCESS.
IS THAT A CHALLENGE AS YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR?
>> I WOULD SAY THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WE OFTEN SEE IN SCHOOL, YOU
KNOW, CONNECTING WITH THE DIGITAL INFORMATION IS HOW TO
COME INTO THE SCHOOL, HOW TIRED THEY OFTEN ARE WHEN THEY COME
IN.
STUDENTS WERE STAYING UP UNTIL 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 IN THE MORNING
ON THE PHONE.
>> OR GETTING DISRUPTIVE SLEEP.
>> AND I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP RUTH BECAUSE JUST THE
ASPECT OF WHEN THEY ARE ON, WHETHER IT'S A VIDEO GAME, THE
PHONE, AND THEN TRYING TO GO TO SLEEP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, IT
USUALLY TAKES THEM TWO HOURS OR MORE TO DO THAT.
>> TO SETTLE DOWN.
AND WHAT IS AN AGE THAT IS TOO YOUNG TO BE ON THE PHONE?
I THINK THAT THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM
EDUCATORS AND DOCTORS ALIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE LITTLE KIDS ON
THE PHONE.
>> THE AMERICAN PEDIATRIC SOCIETY RECOMMENDS NO SCREEN
TIME UNDER TWO YEARS OLD AND THEN VERY LIMITED TIME, I THINK,
FOR A SET OF EARLY CHILDHOOD UP THROUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS,
IT'S SO EASY FOR US, ESPECIALLY AS ADULTS, WE'RE NOT DIGITAL
NATIVES SO IT'S EASY FOR US TO SAY YOU KNOW, OH, THIS IS
TERRIBLE AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO PUT
LIMITS ON AND WE DO NEED TO PUT LIMITS ON AND THAT IS OUR ROLE
AS ADULTS IS TO PROVIDE THAT GUIDANCE AND THOSE LIMITATIONS
ON MANY LEVELS INCLUDING SCREEN TIME.
THERE IS LOTS OF GOOD WAYS TO DO THAT AND THE MEDICAL CENTER
TALKS ABOUT THAT AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT, HOPEFULLY
AFTER THE FILM AND IN JUST THE INFORMATION THAT WE SHARE WITH
OUR COMMUNITY.
>> SO WHERE AND WHEN ARE WE SEEING THIS FILM?
>> SO IT'S ON A TUESDAY, AT 8:00, HAMPTON HIGH SCHOOL, MARC.
THERE IS PLENTY OF PARKING.
>> RUTH AND JON THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND I
WILL BE WATCHING IT TODAY, THAT SCREEN TIME.
THANK YOU.