In our latest guide to parenting in the digital age, we’re looking at the epic battles that are almost always triggered by an attempt to take a screen away from a child.

It’s neither the fault of parents nor children that this has become such an astonishingly fraught process. In fact, the tears, tantrums and desperate bargaining on display as a child comes to terms with digital deprivation are more likely to relate to the type of content they’re seeing these days. They are constantly being encouraged to keep watching and to click deeper into their games, so you’re fighting a losing battle with the internet itself when you try to stop them. Luckily, this expert has some advice about how to keep the peace in an article that’s also quite useful to adults experiencing a little too close an attachment to their devices.

As the United States marks its 250th birthday today, we’re also looking back at the surprising story of the British people who supported independence all along. Even as war raged in the 1770s, there were some vocal figures in British society arguing that the colonies must be set free. Find out why here.

And our ever-popular summer fiction recommendations just dropped so it’s time to pick your next read. Experts have selected the top five new releases of the year so far, from Maggie O'Farrell’s latest novel to the International Booker-winning Taiwan Travelogue. Whether you’re off on holiday or staying inside sheltering from the heat, there’s something for everyone.

Having had to take a minor diversion to avoid an impassable puddle on the Euston Road last week, I somehow got lost twice on the same journey into an office I’ve worked in for seven years. I was baffled as to how my internal map could have failed me so spectacularly in an area I walk through most days. That was until I read this article about how some people get lost inside their own homes. Suddenly, it all made more sense. Not being able to navigate your own home is an extreme example but up to one in 30 people are thought to experience some level of what is technically known as developmental topographical disorientation. If you’ve ever struggled to find your way on a route you thought you knew, read on.

Also this week, what a remake of Little House on the Prairie reveals about modern culture wars, how to really have a good hair day and are we possibly, maybe, hopefully, finally about to get decent wifi on trains?