How to Grow in Perseverance

Key points

Unrestricted screen time reduces curiosity and perseverance in youth.

Examine your relationship with screens and notice how they are training your attention.

Develop the ability to stay in place rather than giving up or moving on to something else.

Prior to graduate school, I taught medieval history and literature to middle schoolers at a small classical school. This school had all the advantages of a well-structured curriculum and committed teachers. It was also a school where parents were involved and invested in their children, which goes a long way in supporting learning outcomes. [1] Even so, I could easily identify students who had unrestricted access to iPhones and other screens. They were generally less curious, struggled with imaginative tasks like creative writin