Brave Parenting

We all know that friendship and connection to peers are a critical part of what it means to be human, especially during childhood. The question parents must contend with is what kind of peer connection do children need, and how does that connection shape a child’s character, faith, and worldview? Because we all know the smartphone is the most convenient tool for this connection, but at what...

Enjoyment and entertainment are not inherently sinful, but because smartphones are engineered to capture time and attention, entertainment can grow to master a person’s life. And this is true for any age! In today’s episode, we are evaluating the benefit of smartphones for “amusement” as described by Dr. Peter Gray. Is this a real benefit for kids? Is it a biblically faithful way to ra...

How did kids creatively express themselves before digital screens and the internet? Do smartphone kids “build” and “express” themselves in ways that are beneficial – or biblical? In this episode, Kelly continues her series countering the beneficial claims Dr. Peter Gray cites in his Substack, Play Makes Us Human . This week, the claim is that the smartphone is a benef...

What does it say about the online world when a 20-year-old cybercriminal feels relieved to be caught? This Brave Briefing looks at Matthew Lane’s repentance, the consequences he is now willing to bear, and the sobering reality that tech savvy and tech intelligence are not the same as tech wisdom or spiritual maturity.  There is an important lesson and hope for parents in this story. Articles refer...

Is the smartphone the greatest educational tool ever created? In today’s episode,  Kelly counters Dr. Peter Gray’s claim, arguing that smartphones provide  information  and  convenience, which are not the same as education. Even if you don’t define education as structured, systematic instruction by adults, the smartphone still isn’t a tool that positively shapes a child&#82...

A smartphone lets you document life with an ever-present camera and note-taking capabilities. Is this something beneficial for kids? Will it build character? Will it help them be present and more aware of their reality? On the other hand, what does growing up not having access to these smartphone features lead to? Will they be worse off? Have less documented memories? In today’s episode, Kel...

The smartphone is an undeniable benefit to adult drivers navigating in their vehicles. But is it equally beneficial for kids who cannot drive yet? Would using smartphone navigation displace formative and fundamental lessons a child is meant to learn while growing up? Even more, are God’s “directions” and “way” missed when reliance rests on technology? In today’s...

Does having a smartphone during childhood make a child “safer” when they are outdoors?  Is having access to a flashlight, GPS, and a phone to call 911 an essential addition to a child’s outdoor play? What are the downsides or detriments to having a smartphone while playing outdoors? Will children play outdoors as much if they have a smartphone? In today’s episode, Kelly eva...

The verdict of the landmark social media addiction/harms trial came back GUILTY. For more than a decade, those who spoke out against social media and its harm to children were accused of “moral panic.” While there was always an urgency to warn others, it was never fear or panic. But the persuasive and personalized design features embedded in social media platforms remain a moral proble...

Many tech advocates and secular experts believe and promote the idea that children should have their own smartphones. They tout the benefits of self-expression (Ep. 212), education, and outdoor safety. Are these benefits really beneficial? Or, are they just convenient? Because Brave Parenting recommends delaying smartphones until age 16, there’s a full decade gap between their recommendation...

A landmark social media addiction trial is happening in California. Meta (Instagram) and Google (YouTube) versus a child who got captured by the content-driven life, which drove her to mental illness and suicidal thoughts. When YouTube VP Chrisos Goodrow took the stand, he noted that they don’t want people addicted to YouTube any more than they’re addicted to reading….” Is...

There is a short walk between video games and gambling. The risk-reward and microtransaction economy mirrors casinos. Now, with the rise of sports betting apps and prediction market platforms like Kalshi, teens are falling into “get rich quick” gambling schemes. They are being fed a lie that the modern economy and market no longer reward prudence and delayed gratification. Of course, t...

Flowing from the idea that children need to express themselves online to form an identity, video game avatars serve as an introductory and primary portal for this. The cosmetic economy of avatar customization generates billions in revenue for game makers, while users pay and play their way into discovering their identity. The ability to customize your appearance in the game isn’t just a fun...

The freedom of self-expression has become a catch-all justification for everything done online. Why should children be allowed to have social media at a young age? Because they need to express themselves! Mark Zuckerberg even used this justification of ‘self-expression’ under oath in the landmark social media addiction trial. In this episode, Kelly exposes how ‘self-expression&#8...

Meta Ray-Ban Smart glasses have exploded in popularity. They allow people to film strangers without consent or even their awareness, which means that ordinary public interactions can now be turned into social media content.  How are Christian parents to think about this latest tech gadget? And strangers becoming content? Articles referenced: Pranksters and pickup artists are using Meta Ray-Ban gla...

Generative AI apps such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Claude have rapidly become the go-to parenting sages. Every type of parenting question can be answered efficiently and with (what sounds like) expertise.  Undoubtedly, these apps offer parents help during stressful times. But is this the way God intends for us to receive parenting advice and practical wisdom? What is lost when human relationshi...

Often, apps begin with noble intentions of “connection” or “education.” While they promise to be different, they inevitably resort to classic tactics for maximum engagement: streaks, coins, leaderboards, FOMO, and notifications. In this episode, Kelly uncovers this trend using Duolingo and Zigazoo as examples. This trend of app devolution is important for parents to underst...

After years of doing nothing, Big Tech social platforms started releasing new “teen safety” and “parental controls” to show how much they care about and prioritize children’s safety. The problem with these new safety features is that they are not enough. It’s the design of social media and games that creates spaces of chaos where everyone does what is right in t...

In today’s Brave Briefing, Kelly reviews the new book,  The Amazing Generation  by Jonathon Haidt and Catherine Price. Written for a Gen Alpha audience, this book aims to inspire rebels who don’t let technology use them. This book serves almost as a hopeful sequel to The Anxious Generation, which highlighted the harms done to Gen Z by online media and technology.  Listen in to this bri...

Lots of companies promise solutions for taming screen time (for kids and  adults). Joining Kelly today on the podcast is Heather Wilkinson, sharing her personal story about excessive screen time, parenting, and the most powerful force for change: The Brick. The Brick is a physical device you tap in order to unlock the phone restrictions you’ve set up for yourself. Kinda like tap-to-pay, but...

LifeWise Academy has created an incredible program to enable kids in public schools to receive Bible education during school hours! In this episode, Kelly sits down with Aaron Braswell, a Texas director for LifeWise, to hear more about the ministry’s amazing work. Listen to learn how kids, families, and communities are being changed and how to help bring LifeWise Academy to your public schoo...

Every organization and business in the Media and Technology landscape offers parents ‘Peace of Mind.” They promise peace that only their app or service can deliver: “Peace starts with us .” They offer parents peace as an apology: “We didn’t care about your kid’s safety before, but we do now, and here are some safety features to prove it.”   And why i...

Kelly and Ryan answer the most common questions you’ve asked in 2025. Don’t my children need to learn technology to stay relevant and get a job? How can restricting Snapchat and keeping kids from talking to their friends be the best choice? What is the right age for a child to get a phone? What punishments work when taking their phone away doesn’t phase them? How do I explain tha...

A new app has emerged over the last few years, gaining popularity among preteens. No doubt because the app markets itself as “Gen Alpha’s social media.” Coverstar has the feel of TikTok, but with stricter community guidelines for content, zero tolerance for violations, and no direct messages. While it is perhaps “safer” than TikTok, what does an app that encourages yo...

It’s Deactivation Week!! On December 10th in Australia (which is really December 9 in the US), the first-ever social media ban will take effect. The major platforms are required by law to deactivate the accounts of children and teens under 16. Kelly reviews the details of the new law, the pushback from Big Tech, advocacy groups, parents, and teens, and why all of this is so important. While...