‘Kids Are Often Left Without Social Connections,’ Says Kirk Cameron

Kirk Cameron’s latest project finds him tackling parenting in the digital age. His new film, “Connect,” in theaters tonight, shows the actor speaking with experts in a variety of fields about how social media affects young minds — and what parents can do to navigate this increasingly digital world.

Cameron spoke Thursday on “The Laura Ingraham Show” about the film — and LifeZette also spoke to the actor about it.

“The response is just what I was hoping it would be,” the “Growing Pains” star said about getting feedback from audiences. The film already had a special showing this week.

Cameron said he spoke to parents who saw the film, and they felt “hopeful and empowered” and, perhaps more importantly, “educated.”

The actor said his goal with “Connect” is to “Help [parents] navigate this world that is not going away.”

The filmmaker said that properly parenting in this digital age comes down to more than just monitoring and blocking content from children.

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“Kids are often left without the kind of social connections they need [today],” said Cameron. These children then seek to satisfy those social connections through social media — and it doesn’t work.

Cameron said he spoke with many experts who referred to younger generations as the “loneliest” of all time.

To combat this growing loneliness, the filmmaker recommended parents be more assertive, make sure to connect to their children more, and watch that they have the relationships they need to grow properly.

“The necessary relationship we need to be having and re-establishing with our kids,” said Cameron, “is more important than any piece of technology that blocks content.”

Learn more about “Connect” — and be sure to check out LifeZette’s interview with Cameron.