Gary Chapman - Screen Kids: 5 Relational Skills Every Child Needs in a Tech-Driven World

Parents, do yourself a favor and read this before running out and getting a phone for your child. Youll be very glad you did.

KIRK CAMERON | Actor and Producer

If you think your child is immune to an overdependence on screens, think again. Written by my trusted friends Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane, this book is a reality pill that many modern- day parents need to swallow.

KEVIN LEMAN | New York Times bestselling author of Why Your Kids Misbehave and What to Do about It and Making Children Mind without Losing Yours

In Screen Kids, Chapman and Pellicane teach the relationship skills children need to learn because of technologys negative influence over them. Technology has been here long enough that we know the decline in social skills is causing children to be miserable, lonely, confused, angry, misled, depressed, and unfulfilled. The truths on these pages will equip children for life, school, family time, and quality relationships. You and they will make realistic and significant changes so they willingly decrease their screen time and confidently increase their friend time.

KATHY KOCH | Founder and president of Celebrate Kids, Inc., and author of Five to Thrive, 8 Great Smarts, and Screens and Teens

During this past century, great advances have been made, and none more amazing than mankinds ability to communicate in this computer generation. We have abilities beyond anything ever imagined, but there are also real challenges for kids whose time, thoughts, and direction are being consumed. Arlene Pellicane and Gary Chapman have filled the pages of this book with words of understanding, instruction, caution, and advice for parents. Its a never-ending flow of information. This book is a must-read!

MEL CHEATHAM | Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

I believe that screens are the most significant contributor to a growing epidemic of anxiety and depression in our children. Screen Kids is one of the books I most recommend to parents as a must-read. And the book is provided by two of the most trusted voices in parenting and family relationshipsGary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane. Please, I beg you, read this book!

DANNAH GRESH | Bestselling author of Lies Girls Believe and founder of True Girl

This book will help parents navigate the slippery slope of electronics in a way that emphasizes family bonding, social relating, and maintaining a healthy balance of electronic and nonelectronic activities. A most welcome addition to the library of any intentional parent.

TODD CARTMELL | Child psychologist and author of Project Dad and Raising Flexible Kids

As a mom, I have often felt outnumbered in my own home: laptop, iPod, smart-phone, Xbox, tablet: 5 vs. Mom and Dad: 2. Besides living in a wireless bunker, whats a parent to do? Screen Kids will help you reclaim your home and your family. More than a media manifesto, this book shares a commonsense, real-world approach to building relationships and helping our kids who are screen savvy become socially savvy.

KATHI LIPP | Bestselling author of The Husband Project, Clutter Free, and Ready for Anything

In this unprecedented age of technology and its accessibility, I cannot think of a more needed or more important resource for parents than Screen Kids. While this book recognizes the positive contributions of technology, it serves as an important handbook for educating parents on the effects of too much screen time in our lives. It offers creative alternatives and encouragement to take back our home from the digital invasion, and I highly recommend it!

KRISTEN WELCH | Author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World; blogger at We Are THAT Family

Finally, a book that educates parents on the very real effects screen time has on our children and daily home life. Screen Kids is packed with practical wisdom and brilliant suggestions to effectively and intentionally pull families trapped in isolation away from their screens to reestablish God-intended family time! Gary and Arlene, count me a raving fan of this much-needed guidebook for parents!

TRACEY EYSTER | Founder of FamilyLifes MomLifeToday.com and author of Be the Mom and Beautiful Mess

As a mom of ten children, I see now more than ever how important real connections with real people are. Thankfully, Arlene Pellicane and Dr. Gary Chapman have provided sound advice for parents in how to train children in important relational skills, while setting realistic boundaries for electronic entertainment. Need help in teaching your children communication, care, and empathy for others? This is the book youve been looking for! Great research, sound advice, and steps to successwhat could be better than that?

TRICIA GOYER | USA Today bestselling author of seventy-five books, including Lead Your Family Like Jesus

Screen Kids is a must-read for wisdom to maximize the positives and minimize the negatives of life and love in the ever-changing digital world.

PAM AND BILL FARREL | Codirectors of Love-Wise; authors of thirty-eight books

Parenting in a technology-saturated culture is overwhelming and exhausting! Screen Kids is the best resource weve seen for families on the subject! With much balance and wisdom, its not anti-technology, but it is full of research and practical help for everyday parents. If you want to feel more equipped to parent kids who arent being ruled by their screens, we highly recommend you start with this book!

PATRICK AND RUTH SCHWENK | Hosts of Rootlike Faith podcast and authors of Faith Forward Family Devotional and In a Boat in the Middle of a Lake: Trusting the God Who Meets Us in Our Storm

2020 by GARY CHAPMAN and ARLENE PELLICANE

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This book was previously published as Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World (2014).

Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries.

Edited by Elizabeth Cody Newenhuyse

Interior and cover design: Erik M. Peterson

Cover illustration of cardboard phone copyright 2019 by Marie Maerz/Adobe Stock (105871809).

Cover illustrations of people copyright 2018 by Sudowoodo /iStock (1057675582).

All rights reserved for the above illustrations.