Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net Generation

Young people spend hours online each day online, and their abilities to multitask and communicate are often misunderstood by older generations. Dr. Larry Rosen offers a full overview of the various issues young people may experience in their online worlds (cyberbullying, addiction, sexuality, virtual friendships, and more) while at the same time challenging commonly held beliefs that these communities are damaging. Instead of using scare tactics, the book shows parents how to be proactive and anticipate potential problems. With his extensive background in both child development and the impact of technology, Dr. Rosen uses down-to-earth explanations of sound psychological theory, incorporates groundbreaking research, and shows parents and educators how social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook can improve adolescent socialization skills.

Linda Beck - Library Journal

Call them Millennials, Gen Yers, or MySpacers-but pay attention! Millennials (those born after 1979) are different from their predecessors; not only do they use their time differently, but they seek to create content, are bored if not multitasking, are far from private, and are always online. Rosen (psychology, California State Univ.; coauthor, TechnoStress: Coping with Technology @ Work @ Home @ Play) offers a well-documented comparison between and among baby boomers (b. 1946-64), Gen Xers (b. 1965-79), and Millennials-their values, career goals, loyalties, workplace styles, and more. When not on social-networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, Millennials are IM'ing, conducting research online, visiting the virtual world Second Life, or playing video games-sometimes all at the same time. Interestingly, Millennials also value their parents' opinions and are career- and college-focused, emotionally open, and very social. Rosen advises parents to be proactive and to learn how to avoid problems before they start-e.g., by placing the family computer in a common area of the home, setting limits, using MySpace themselves, and talking with and listening to their kids even more. Highly recommended.