EPS to Host “Parenting and Guiding the Smartphone Generation”

Feb 29, 2024 | News

In alignment with newly adopted Strategic Plans goals, and a focus on the mental health and overall well-being of students and staff, EPS will host Dr. Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, as she presents “Parenting and Guiding the Smartphone Generation”. In addition to Dr. Twenge’s presentation, a Q&A session will follow featuring Creighton Volleyball Coach, Kirsten Bernthal Booth, EPS high school counselor, Martha Dowd, and EPS students. Parents are encouraged to attend this event being held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 6:30 PM at Elkhorn South High School. The presentation will be free and open to the public.

Parenting and Guiding the Smartphone Generation
Today’s teens and young adults are Gen Z, the first generation to spend their adolescence with smartphones. Gen Z is growing up more slowly as adolescents, spending more time online, and spending less time hanging out with their friends in person. They also sleep less. Perhaps as a result, they are more likely to experience unhappiness, anxiety, and depression. You’ll walk away with ideas for how to help your family find a better balance with technology and be healthier and happier.

Dr. Jean M. Twenge
Jean M. Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, is the author of more than 180 scientific publications and seven books, including Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future and iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.

Kirsten Bernthal Booth
3x National Coach of the Year, Kirsten Bernthal Booth will enter her 22nd year as the Creighton Volleyball Coach in the fall. In addition to her accomplishments in coaching, Booth is the mother to three teenage daughters in an ever-evolving, technologically advanced society. Drawing from her experiences in both parenting and coaching, Booth offers insight into the joys, struggles, and mistakes of parenting the smartphone generation.