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If you are raising kids, you are navigating technology with them. Do you feel like they won’t put down the tablet? Like they started asking for a smartphone in preschool?
What are they doing on those devices anyway? Should you spy on them? Or will that hurt your relationship in the long run? Parents and educators look to me for practical, timely, and non-judgmental advice to set our kids up for success in a digital world, and in life.

Our kids need digital mentors to become the best people they can be in our connected world.  Thinking about getting your child a first phone? I’ve got a course your can take, at your own pace, to get ready! 

I’m Devorah Heitner, and I’ve been supporting parents and educators to help children thrive in a digital world. I’m here to take the fear out of this emotionally-charged topic and help you guide your kids towards empathy, kindness, and integrity.
Getting this right sets kids up for a lifetime of success in a world where they are likely to find a job, meet their spouse, and build their reputations in interactive, digital communities.

 

Since earning my Ph.D. in Media/Technology and Society from Northwestern University, I’ve been working with communities, schools and companies across the United States and beyond. I speak to schools, organizations, and corporations, lead workshops, and consult with educators on their toughest concerns in teaching kids to use tech in a smart way. My book, Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World gives parents new insights into kids’ digital world, so they can stop feeling afraid of tech and become tech-positive parents.
When I’m not writing or speaking, you’ll find me relaxing with my family in Chicago. You may also find me listening to podcasts, catching up on Only Murders In The Building or enjoying the midwestern weather at my kid’s soccer games.
Join my community by signing up below. You’ll receive an email from me twice a month with ideas to spark your own conversations about tech in your community, and get answers to your biggest questions about when to give your child a smart phone, navigating screen time battles, and topics like sexting, friend issues, social comparison, gaming and more.

Need a parent talk or teacher workshop?  

Let’s talk.

Here’s what people are saying about my virtual and in-person talks:

Devorah hosted a webinar for thousands of employees at leading companies around how to make distance learning work for kids during the pandemic. The parents who attended shared that Devorah’s guidance gave them practical advice and tips on how to best support their kids – and themselves – right now. Her perspective and expertise on how to guide children in this digital age is what parents need right now.

Emily Paisner, Director of Marketing at Care.com

Devorah, I want to thank you for sharing your research and advice, especially tailored for these strange times. What I really liked about what you just shared with us is that it both had a broad kind of overarching and connecting themes and the “in the weeds” detailed advice we are craving as parents, especially right now.

 Parent at Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA 

Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and her book on navigating Privacy and Reputation with kids and teens, Growing Up in Public will be out in 2023 with Penguin Random House.

Dr. Heitner’s work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN Opinion. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. She is delighted to be raising her own teenager and she lives with her family in Chicagoland. You can follow her on Twitter @Devorahheitner and on Instagram @devorahheitnerphd.

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