Monday 15th July - 05:00 PM BST
The Great Rewiring of Our Lives
Have we damaged childhood forever?
July's headline debate, 'The Great Rewiring of Our Lives' will be questioning if we have damaged childhood forever with experts Jonathan Haidt, Katharine Birbalsingh and Emily Edlynn.
Book a pay-by-view ticket or purchase a Premium Live subscription so you can access July and all future events!
The true object of all human life is play' proclaimed G.K. Chesterton. But in today's world, critics argue there's a danger that we have replaced genuine play and the open exploration of the natural world with simulated and rule governed fun which is profoundly damaging. Studies show the time children play outside has plummeted by more than two thirds in just one generation. Since the arrival of social media, and the decline of free play, anxiety has increased by 92% for those between 18-25.
Is active and exploratory play central to the human condition and are structured screen based alternatives ill-conceived from the start? Are adults equally at risk of succumbing to addictive but ultimately damaging artificial distractions? Or can we develop artificial forms of play that have the same rewarding and life enhancing qualities that we associate with an open and playful engagement with the natural world?
After the debate, there will be an opportunity to meet Jonathan, Katharine and Emily virtually in our Meet The Speakers event. During this session you will be able to ask questions, comment on the debate and hear from other attendees. Book your spot for IAI Live July by clicking here.
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Katharine Birbalsingh
Education reformer
Katharine Birbalsingh CBE, 'Britain's strictest headmistress,' founded Michaela Community School in 2014, securing the country's top Progress 8 score. She advocates for banning smartphones in class and emphasizes love and strict discipline for children's success.
Emily Edlynn
Clinical psychologist
Emily Edlynn, PhD is a clinical psychologist passionate about integrating science and common-sense in parenting guidance to support healthier and more sustainable lives for parents. She is an award-winning author of the book, Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent Confident Children, speaker, and co-host of the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. Edlynn wrote a regular parenting advice column for Parents.com and serves on their medical review board. Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Scary Mommy, Good Housekeeping, Motherly, Psychology Today, and more. She has been featured as an expert on NPR and NBC News Daily and regularly guests on podcasts to speak about parenting and raising healthy children in our modern world. She challenges today’s unhealthy and unscientific parenting trends in her speaking and writing, including for her Substack. Her book earned a Foreword Reviews’ 2023 Indies Book of the Year Award. Edlynn also serves as the Director of Pediatric Behavioral Medicine at a private practice in the Chicago area where she works with children, teens, and families.
Jonathan Haidt
Renowned psychologist
Jonathan Haidt, a renowned psychologist and NYU Stern professor, has made significant contributions to moral psychology. He authored best-sellers like The Righteous Mind and The Coddling of the American Mind. His latest book, The Anxious Generation, attributes teen mental distress to reduced free play and increased smartphone use.
Join our headline debate with Jonathan Haidt, Katharine Birbalsingh, and Emily Edlynn on play, childhood development, and social media. Explore whether genuine play is being replaced by damaging screen-based alternatives and challenge our speakers afterwards in a live Q&A. To find out more - click here.
