ScreenStrong Families

What does it look like to raise ScreenStrong kids for 10 years—and stick with it all the way through high school? In this episode, Melanie reconnects with Jodie, a mom who attended a ScreenStrong workshop a decade ago and has been putting these principles into practice ever since. Now, her daughter is in high school and is just getting a flip phone—not a smartphone! Jodie shares what it has been l...

What if one of the best ways to help your teen spend less time gaming and scrolling is to give them something meaningful to do in the real world? In this episode, Melanie Hempe and Dr. Stacey explore why teens may benefit from having a part-time job—and what the research says about structured activities, screen use, executive function, confidence, responsibility, academics, and long-term outcomes....

In Part 1, Andrew Hempe explained what he gained from growing up without smartphones or video games. In Part 2, he answers the questions parents and teens ask him most. Andrew starts by admitting the obvious: he did miss out on some things—easy access to pornography, the anxiety and depression tied to social media, and screen addiction itself. His point: not all missing out is bad, and there'...

What if growing up without a smartphone or video games didn’t mean missing out—but actually meant gaining more? In this episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, 22-year-old Andrew Hempe shares what it was really like to grow up without the addictive screens that are now considered a normal part of childhood. After seeing his older brother struggle with severe gaming addiction, Andrew’s parent...

How much technology should kids really be using at school? In this episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast , Melanie Hempe and Dr. Stacey explore the growing use of screens, Chromebooks, tablets, educational apps, and AI in schools—and ask the question every parent should be asking: Is technology actually helping our children learn? You’ll learn why the issue isn’t simply “technology is good...

Originally aired: March, 2022 Melanie welcomes back Dr. Richard Freed, author of Wired Child and a practicing Clinical Psychologist and supervisor studying the effects of technology on children. He is on the advisory board of ScreenStrong and is a contributor to many well-respected publications. A link to Dr. Freed’s article, The Tech Industry’s War on Kids, is included in the show notes.  Melanie...

In this episode, Melanie and Dr. Stacey explore how teachers and parents can collaborate to create a phone-free school environment. Teachers can support the policy by using research-backed education, setting an example with their own phone use, and staying alert to signs of phone overuse, like distracted behavior and declining grades. Parents play a crucial role by supporting the school’s efforts,...

Originally aired November 8, 2023. In this episode, Melanie has a very special guest—her daughter, Melissa! In this episode, we will hear how Melissa feels about growing up without social media or a smartphone. They discuss an overview of teen brain science, what makes social media irresistible for teens, the risks for teen girls, and end with some practical tips for parents. You will enjoy the ca...

Today we welcome back Dr. Adriana Stacey,  a Board Certified Psychiatrist, for part two of her discussion with Melanie. In this episode they cover why going cold-turkey with screen removal may be the best option for your family and offer tips and tricks for handling addictive behavior. Dr. Stacey's areas of specialty include female mental health treatment, including treatment of depression, a...

Do you want to prevent your middle Schooler from becoming dependent on screen time this summer? Join Melanie as she offers practical strategies to Emily, a ScreenStrong Ambassador and concerned middle school mom, to keep tweens engaged and social without resorting to video games or social media.  Get inspired and discover how to make this summer a ScreenStrong success for your family! Support the...

Fourteen-year-old boys face a tricky gap every June—too old for camp, too young for a job, and just bored enough to default to hours of gaming. Evan Hempe knows the feeling firsthand: he grew up without video games or a smartphone, and in this episode he shares the real list of what filled his summers instead. Funny, candid, and packed with stories from his own backyard, Evan makes the case that a...

In Part 2 of Melanie Hempe’s conversation with educator and Screen Schooled co-author Joe Clement, they continue unpacking the hidden impact of screens on today’s children and classrooms. Building on their previous discussion, Joe shares more insights from his 30+ years as an educator, explaining how constant screen exposure is changing the way kids think, learn, socialize, and engage with the wor...

In today’s episode, Melanie Hempe sits down with educator and co-author of Screen Schooled, Joe Clement, to unpack what’s really happening to kids in today’s screen-saturated classrooms—and why so many parents and teachers feel like something has fundamentally changed. Drawing from more than 30 years in the classroom, Joe shares what he began noticing as smartphones and one-to-one devices became c...

In today’s episode, Mandee sits down with Kellyn Smythe from Pacific Quest to unpack a topic many families are quietly struggling with: screen addiction—and why it’s far more serious than we often assume. Drawing from his experience working in residential treatment with teens, Kellyn explains how screen use isn’t just a habit—it can become a powerful “process addiction” that impacts the brain in w...

In today’s episode, Mandee sits down with Gayle Cheatham, founder of Thrive Offline, to explore a growing reality many families are feeling—but don’t always know how to address: our kids are more connected than ever, yet feeling increasingly disconnected. Gayle shares her personal journey from the corporate world to leading a movement focused on helping families rediscover real-life connection. To...

What if your child’s struggle with screens isn’t a lack of discipline—but the result of how these platforms are built? In this episode, we unpack two major jury verdicts against Google, including YouTube, and what they reveal about the addictive design of digital platforms. You’ll learn why kids can’t “just use it in moderation,” what’s happening in the developing brain, and how you can step in wi...

We’re either creating or consuming—and that choice shapes who our kids become. In this powerful episode of The ScreenStrong Families Podcast , host Mandee Hamann sits down with Bradley T. Morris —father, storyteller, and Founder & CEO of Majik Kids —to explore what’s quietly being lost in today’s screen-saturated childhood… and how we can take it back. In a world designed to keep kids scrollin...

Host Mandee Hamann welcomes ScreenStrong Ambassador Kathleen Barlow for a heartfelt and eye-opening conversation about preserving childhood in today’s hyper-digital culture. Kathleen is a mother of six, grandmother of three, former French teacher, and a passionate advocate for phone-free schools. After leaving full-time education in 2024, she committed herself to raising awareness about the impact...

Are classroom screens really helping children learn—or quietly working against how their brains develop? In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath joins us to discuss his new book The Digital Delusion and what the science actually says about technology in the classroom. For years, schools have been told that more technology means better learning. But many of the ideas that built the...

What happens when schools trade screens for books, discussion, and teacher-led classrooms? In this powerful episode of The ScreenStrong Families Podcast , host Mandee Hamann welcomes Dr. Kathleen O’Toole, Associate Vice President for K–12 Education at Hillsdale College , to explore why screen-free learning is essential for children’s mental health, intellectual growth, and civic formation. Dr. O’T...

Join us in this episode as we dive into the world of Roblox, sleepovers, and Snapchat with invaluable insights from our friend Officer Gomez, a School Resource Officer (SRO) and sworn Deputy of the Boise County Sheriff’s Department.  Discover what parents need to know to keep their children safe and informed in today's digital age. From the challenges of online gaming to the issues of sleepov...

In today’s episode, host Mandee Hamann sits down with Dr. Steven Klein ( Caron Treatment Center ), a physician-scientist specializing in addiction medicine and brain health, for a vital conversation every parent needs to hear. In a world of constant digital stimulation, many kids’ brains are under relentless pressure—often without parents realizing what’s really happening beneath the surface. Dr....

Thank you all for listening and engaging with the podcast this past year. Here are just a few highlights from our 2025 episodes. Happy New Year! Episodes Featured (in order of appearance): Building Executive Function: Why Play Matters More Than Tech with Mariana Carazo (#239) Protecting Kids in the Digital Classroom: An Honest Look Into "Ed-Tech" with Andrew Liddell (#225) From 16,000 Vi...

In today’s episode, Melanie shares five simple but powerful strategies to help your family enjoy a peaceful, connected, ScreenStrong Christmas. If you’ve ever watched the holidays get hijacked by devices, meltdowns, or gaming marathons at grandma’s house, this episode will give you the confidence and clarity you need to lead your family well this season. You’ll learn: Why giving presence (not scre...

For this special holiday encore episode, Melanie is joined by her son Evan to discuss practical holiday gift ideas—and encourage people to skip smartphones and video games as gifts this season. Evan gives his perspective on the highs and lows of wanting a smartphone in middle & high school and shares some of his favorite childhood gifts. Grab your copy of our Non-Tech Gift Guide discussed in t...