Healthy Screen Habits Podcast

Gabriela Ngyuen is a Gen Z founder of Appstinence, a student organization of the Harvard Graduate School of Education for people, largely young people, who want to opt out of the attention economy. We talk about social media abstinence and "cell-ibacy" that is being embraced by Gen Zers in this episode. Listen now!  

Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg has focused his career on helping youth develop their own solutions to social problems and teaching adults how to serve them better. As a doctor of adolescent medicine at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, he sees every day the challenges facing today's youth and parents. On this episode, we...

As we charge forward at breakneck speed into this age of AI and the next chapter of digital technology, we would be wise to start conversations with our children, families, and communities about what we're seeing.  Avriel Epps is giving you the tool to do it! As the author of "A Kid's Book About AI Bias," Avriel used a background in social injustice and biases to create the resource missing from t...

Ben Gillenwater is the former chief technologist for a $10 billion IT company. He has over 30 years of experience, and (most importantly!) he's a dad. As a friendly and calm IT expert @family_it_guy who helps parents navigate their digital parenting journey, Ben offers advice and tips on how to set your family up for safety. This episode is a great conversation.. Listen now!  

Early childhood experts Kailan Carr and Katie Talarico have combined forces to create a FANTASTIC AND FREE new resource for parents and teachers!  "Let's Grow Brain P.O.W.E.R.!" is a free resource for schools, community groups, and families, designed to help educate and empower families to focus on what really matters for kids' healthy development.  It gives the framework for kids to have experien...

Jodi Carreon is a self-described "regular mom" who honestly is anything but!! While volunteering at her kids' school. She discovered students were more focused on screens instead of each other. By accessing the tools and templates at Smartphone Free Childhood US, she founded a local parent group that focuses on limiting and intentionally using technology within her school district. Want to learn m...

Tim Estes is the founder and CEO of AngelQ, a company that values the curiosity and innocence of children, fosters a culture of discovery and unity, inspires courage when facing challenges and remains steadfast in their principles through all their endeavors.  And it's done using AI! Interested in learning more?  Listen now!  

With every new school year comes a new opportunity to reassess, recalibrate, and review the technology in our homes and classrooms. On Season 14 of the podcast, we are diving deep into AI, chatbots, and more.  The hot topic on the front burner for many is AI in schools and companion AI. From chatbots to writing assistance, to smart tutoring apps, to character AI, AI is showing up in homes, homewor...

Parents aren't just worried - they are ready to act.  Four Norms empowers local parent groups to get things done through the use of collective action.  It's never been easier to fight for new norms around kids and technology that you want to see in your community. Four Norms acts as a bridge between organizational expertise and community impact. Specifically designed for grassroots parents' organi...

Dan and Dave Gray are the father-son co-founders of BridgeCamp. On this episode we talk about the power of human and relational connection, particularly between parents and their kids. The  stronger the connection is between parents and their teens, the more likely the teen will make better and healthier life decisions, especially as they transition into adulthood. Dan and Dave help create oppotun...

Director Ryan Huh has a fantastic new short documentary for you to explore. Starting Over is the story of four young men engaged in recovery from digital addiction. It is set in the ReSTART Life residential program and can serve as a great conversation starter for families looking to have a good talk about tech. On this episode, Ryan told me what he learned along the way while creating Starting Ov...

Explore momfluencer culture and be entertained with a great new book!  This week, we do something a little different and just for fun on Healthy Screen Habits Podcast.  Follow Me: A Thriller is the story of sisterly love and a murderous momfluencing group who will stop at nothing to keep up appearances and provide perfect pictures of happy holidays. I chat with the author, Elizabeth Rose Quinn who...

Educate and Empower Kids is an organization determined to strengthen families by teaching digital citizenship, media literacy, and healthy sexuality education—including education about the dangers of online porn. On this episode, I talk with Dina Alexander, the founder and author of 30 Days of Sex Talks, helpful books written for all ages of childhood and teenage years designed to help parents tal...

With over 30 years in the video game industry and as the creator of GameTruck, Scott Novis has entertained more than 14 million gamers. He's on a mission to help families build connections through play.  On this episode, find out how to end games without a fight, bond with your kids in new ways, and have a great time doing it all! Listen now!

May is short for MayHEM!  We are all trying to get through performances, culminating activities, teacher appreciations, prom, graduations, etc… The last thing I want to do is give you one more thing to stress out over!!  Instead, this season on the pod, I am talking to camp directors who run experience camps that focus on parent-child bonding, great summer reads that are about momfluencer life, an...

As we wrap up another season of Healthy Screen Habits, it's the perfect time to unplug and recharge for Spring Break! This season, we've learned so many great ways to balance screen time with real-world activities. Whether you're exploring the outdoors, diving into a new hobby, or simply enjoying time with loved ones, now's the chance to create memories away from the screen. Plus, have fun practic...

Overcoming a challenging childhood in the South, Michael was inspired by a transformative teacher to unlock his potential. He served 22 years in the U.S. Navy, developing advanced cybersecurity algorithms. With over 25 years of cybersecurity experience, Michael is now a Ph. D. candidate in Cyberpsychology at Capitol Tech University. He created MindfulBytes.io, a groundbreaking K-5 curriculum enhan...

Erin Walsh is a parent, speaker, and author who helps families and educators navigate the complexities of adolescents, parenting and technology. As co-founder of Spark and Stitch Institute, she translates research into practical strategies. She is also the author of It's Their World: Teens, Screens, and The Science of Adolescence , a great new book.  In this episode, we talk about ways to reduce f...

Devon Kuntzman started Transforming Toddlerhood with the mission to dispel the myth that toddlerhood is terrible and empower parents and caregivers to overcome the challenges while nurturing their little ones' development.  She does this by creating confidence in parenting skills and embracing this magical time period.  In this episode, we talk about the additional challenge that technology can br...

Jack Hughes is an expert in talking to parents about tech support because he has literally grown up in this digital age. As the president of Parent Tech Support, an organization whose mission is to help parents protect their kids online. He does that by providing free, straightforward content that educates parents.  By using videos and establishing a personal connection, he helps parents set up pa...

Kathleen Barlow is a mom of 6 and grandmother of 3, as a former middle school and high school French teacher she had a front row to watch the increasingly negative impact of phones in schools and their effects on connection.  She has dedicated her time to helping schools develop better cell phone policies and families build better connections.   Kathleen has created a great tool and resource for f...

Richard Freed is a psychologist and author of the new book "Better Than Real Life: How Silicon Valley's Secret Science of Persuasive Design Is Stealing Childhood. Dr. Freed has devoted his career to revealing how Silicon Valley industry is using psychology—a discipline that we associate with healing—as a weapon against kids in order to pull them online and keep them there. This is achieved through...

Sam Chapman is the father of Sammy Chapman (forever 16) and CEO of The Parent Collective Inc., a California non-profit operating in the areas of social media harm and fentanyl poisoning education and activism. The Parent Collective also provides grief support for those left behind. Sammy Chapman died the night he took a counterfeit pill that was laced with fentanyl.  He bought this pill on Snapcha...

Dr. Rebecca Wallace became a mental healthcare provider because she wanted to fill in the gaps. She goes the extra mile to support the mental and emotional health of patients with medical conditions as they go through the process of diagnosis, treatment, and life.  In this episode, we talk about how to balance tech time when you have an ill child as well as how to manage media overwhelm.  In these...