Kids, Phones & Mental Health: Parenting in the Smartphone Era - Dr. Scott St. Clair

In this episode of Caring Well, Dr. Michael Middleton sits down with longtime friend and pediatrician Dr. Scott St. Clair to unpack The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and what it means for today's parents. Together, they explore the rise in anxiety and depression among kids and teens, how smartphones and social media reshaped childhood, and why real-world play, boredom, sleep, and face-to-face relationships matter now more than ever. They also discuss practical, hopeful steps families can take to navigate technology wisely and help kids build resilience in an increasingly digital world.

WATCH EPISODE: https://youtu.be/j1U1EhzY6fw

Learn More: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com

Key Takeaways: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18zM_UQJNwYUJiM1jA_d0lstYf_euCt5q/view?usp=sharing

Send us a Question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1W39w6aJj5Y4C_RDzzRsnmt7JGs1ZHI3FzBikkobPkjs

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome & Introduction
00:42 Meet Dr. Scott St. Clair
04:51 The Core Idea Behind The Anxious Generation
09:13 Why Kids Need Challenge & Resilience
11:25 The Smartphone Shift & "The Great Rewiring"
15:19 Is the Mental Health Crisis Real?
22:21 Boys, Girls & Digital Life
27:39 Parenting as a Collective Action Problem
32:33 Four Practical Changes for Families
42:04 Play-Based Childhood & Healthy Friction
48:17 Simple Family Rules That Help
53:03 Sleep, Attention & Addiction
55:17 Following Jonathan Haidt's Work
56:38 NBA Lightning Round 🏀

---

FOLLOW
➡️ https://www.instagram.com/middleton_pediatrics
➡️ https://www.facebook.com/middletonpediatrics
➡️ https://www.tiktok.com/@middletonpeds
➡️ https://x.com/middletonpeds

#Parenting #ScreenTime #KidsMentalHealth #TeenMentalHealth #Smartphones #SocialMedia #AnxiousGeneration #DigitalWellness #Pediatrics #ParentingTips #MentalHealthAwareness #CaringWell