This is the book to hand every parent spiraling about whether their kid's iPad time is destroying their future. Kamenetz does what few parenting authors manage: she's reassuring without being permissive, evidence-based without being preachy, and practical without being prescriptive.

The core framework—enjoy screens, not too much, mostly with others—is brilliant in its simplicity. It gives you a decision-making tool rather than a rulebook, which is exactly what parents drowning in conflicting advice actually need.

The main limitation is timeliness. Published in 2018, it predates TikTok's dominance, the pandemic's forced screen immersion, and the current AI/generative content explosion. Some specific platform advice will feel dated. But the underlying philosophy and research approach hold up well.

If you're a parent of young kids feeling guilty every time you hand over the tablet, or if you're trying to figure out what 'healthy' screen use even means, this book will actually help. It won't solve everything, but it'll give you a framework and, more importantly, permission to stop catastrophizing.