Maybe coming into this reset you’re dealing with a specific challenge: a child with big emotions, a teenager who’s completely shut down, or a spouse who doesn’t see the problem. Or maybe you’re just the kind of person who wants to understand the why behind the what. These six books are research-backed, written by experts, and packed with practical wisdom. If you read even one of these, you’ll find yourself better equipped for this reset and the years to come.
- Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family by The Plugged In Staff
How do Christian parents keep up with their children’s screen consumption? The expert media staff at Plugged In have compiled a must-read resource to help you understand the media your children consume. Years of researching and analyzing the latest media trends are compiled in Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family. The effects of technology and media consumption on children are far-reaching, impacting their mental health, sleep patterns, attention spans, and social skills. This comprehensive guide covers social media, music, streaming services, video games, movies, and more to help you dialogue with your children about the content they’re exposed to. You’ll learn how screens affect your children’s biology, behaviors, and beliefs; traits of engaged parents and how to create a game plan; how to evaluate content critically; and practical strategies for limiting screen time while thinking critically about media. This book quickly becomes an essential tool to guide your family’s relationship with media. - Screen Kids by Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane
Chapman and Pellicane tackle the central tension of modern parenting: how do we raise relationally healthy children in a screen-saturated world? This newly revised edition features the latest research and practical strategies for taking back your home from an overdependence on screens. Rather than demonizing technology, the authors focus on teaching children five essential A+ skills: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Chapman and Pellicane show how to protect and nurture your child’s growing brain, establish simple boundaries that make a huge difference, and equip your child with healthy relationships both with screens and with people. Their research demonstrates that when parents create intentional rhythms around technology, children thrive emotionally and socially. - Let Them Be Kids by Jessica Smartt
Former English teacher and homeschooling mother of three Jessica Smartt offers grace and confidence to parents seeking to raise children with adventure, self-confidence, and faith in a complicated world. Smartt’s well-researched, tested methods address tough topics like managing technology, fostering creative playtime, and balancing family time with extracurriculars, all while showing grace when kids inevitably disobey. Part story, part guidebook, every chapter includes doable parenting strategies that help families build values together. - Digital Detox: The Two-Week Tech Reset for Kids by Molly DeFrank
Mom of six Molly DeFrank was drowning in screen-time meltdowns until she pulled the plug and declared a digital detox for her kids. The transformation was remarkable: sweet, happy children emerged from behind their devices, moods shifted immediately, and creativity exploded. This book offers step-by-step guidance that walks you through exactly what she did in fourteen days. DeFrank helps you overcome fear of losing your “electronic babysitter,” cultivate your child’s gifts outside of screens, and confidently set the right tech boundaries for your family. She doesn’t shame parents for past screen habits; instead, she offers hope and a clear path forward. - Feeding the Mouth That Bites You by Dr. Kenneth Wilgus
For parents of teenagers, Dr. Wilgus offers a game-changing perspective rooted in thirty-five years of clinical family work: progressively giving teens more control over their lives actually reduces stress and prepares them for maturity. This research-backed approach helps parents understand what their teens actually need (more autonomy, not more rules) and why they act the way they do. Wilgus shows parents how to reduce frustration by understanding teen development and how to help them grow in responsibility while preparing them to launch into the real world. Packed with stories, examples, and charts, this indispensable resource gives parents confidence to raise kids who are ready for adult living. - What to Say and How to Say It to Your Teen by Tim Shoemaker
This field manual to clear, compassionate communication equips parents to handle tough questions and awkward conversations while maintaining open communication that builds lifelong trust. From “Why can’t I have my phone in my room at night?” to “How can God allow bad things to happen?” to “Why does it matter who I hang out with?”—this book tackles 30 of the trickiest conversations parents face. Shoemaker provides grace-filled, biblical tools for addressing everything from shifting views on gender to questioning faith to struggling with honesty, respect, or porn. These are strategies for staying engaged and relational during the years when your teen no longer thinks you have all the answers, even though they have more questions than ever.
