Adolescents and their screens

Why Are Games and Social Media So Hard for Teenagers to Put Down?

Why is it so hard for teenagers to tear themselves away from games and social media? And why does it cause so many arguments—at home, at school, at work? In this lively and entertaining talk, Aletta Smits takes you on a journey through the teenage brain and what's happening when they're glued to their screens.

At the heart of it all are three big questions. First, what is it about teenagers that makes them extra sensitive to the pull of games and social media? Then, how are those games and apps designed, and in what ways do they take advantage of that sensitivity? And finally, what about parents—when are they right to worry, and when are they maybe just overreacting a little?

Along the way, you might come across a few surprises. Like the fact that teenagers actually do learn things behind those screens (more than you might think). Or that they sometimes get frustrated with their own media habits—just like they sometimes roll their eyes at the adults around them. And that binge-watching for a day isn't the end of the world, but spending hours on a screen every day is something that really needs to be tackled.

This talk is full of moments that will make you laugh at yourself, but it also offers practical tips. How do you keep them safe online—like when they've sent an unfortunate photo and don't know what to do? And how can you actually help them cut down on screen time without turning the whole house into a battlefield? You'll walk away with answers, ideas, and maybe even a new perspective on what's really going on behind those screens.