Cleo A. Solberg
cleo@guidingmortals.comStill in the Room
Raising Kids Through Social Media, AI, and Everything the Internet Throws at Them
The research-based guide for parents navigating social media, algorithms, screen time, and digital safety — without panic, and without banning everything.
Sixteen chapters covering the full arc from first device to independent use. Grounded in the actual research on what works — and what backfires.
"You can't childproof the internet. But you can stay in the room."
Every parent of a child over eight is navigating the same terrain: social media, recommendation algorithms, screen time, digital safety, and the particular uncertainty of raising children in an environment that didn't exist when you were their age.
Still in the Room is the research-based guide for that navigation. Not a ban-it or fear-it book. A stay-present, understand-the-mechanisms, have-the-conversations book.
Sixteen chapters covering the full arc from first device to independent use, grounded in the actual research on what works — and what backfires.
Parents of children aged 8–17 navigating first devices, social media introduction, and teenage independence
Anyone asking: what does the research actually say about kids and social media?
Parents worried about screen time, TikTok algorithms, and kids' mental health — who want evidence, not panic
Families navigating the specific challenge of staying connected with teenagers who are pulling away
Readers of Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge who want practical guidance, not just research findings
Part I — The Landscape
What the Algorithm Wants From Your Child
Kids, Mental Health, and Social Media
The Conversation Before Age Ten
Part II — The Stages
First Device (Ages 6–11)
Social Media Introduction (Ages 11–14)
Independent Use (Ages 15–17)
Part III — The Challenges
Monitoring vs. Staying Present
When Your Child Knows More Than You
Why Blocking Apps Isn't the Answer
Raising a Critical Thinker in the Age of Content
Part IV — The Conversations
How to Talk to Your Child About Social Media
Staying in the Room When Kids Shut You Out
The Conversation That Matters Most
Appendix
Age-by-Age Guide
Conversation Starters
Further Reading
Format — eBook & Paperback
Publisher — Guiding Mortals
ISBN — 978-3-9828685-1-6
Language — English