Screen Less Play More

Are you worried summer will turn into endless screen time battles? In this episode, Cynthia sits down with screen time expert and Better Screen Time founder Andrea Davis to share practical, realistic ways families can create a low-screen summer without stress, guilt, or perfection. In this replay episode, Andrea gives parents the top 4 questions to ask your kids when school ends and you start your...

What is social media really doing to kids — and why are even loving, careful parents losing children to online harms? In this powerful episode of Screen Less Play More, Cynthia interviews the team behind the documentary "Your Attention Please," including filmmaker duo Sara Robin and Jack LeMay, along with parent advocate Kristin Bride, whose 16-year-old son Carson committed suicide after severe on...

Are your kids melting down when screens turn off?   Wondering how to reduce screen time without constant battles? In this eye-opening conversation, Michaeleen Doucleff (author of "Hunt, Gather, Parent" and "Dopamine Kids") explains why kids crave screens, how the dopamine loop works, and the 5-step method parents can use to help children want real-life hobbies more than video games, YouTube, or Mi...

Does risky play make you nervous as a parent? In this episode, we explore why tree climbing, nature play, outdoor freedom, and healthy risk-taking help kids become safer, stronger, more confident, and better at judging real-world risks. Welcome to Part 2 of the Screen Less Play More conversation with  Josée Bergeron of Backwoods Mama , author of " Beyond the Front Door: Embracing Nature for a Happ...

Are screens, busy schedules, and modern life keeping your kids indoors? In this episode of Screen Less Play More , Cynthia talks with "Backwoods Mama" Josée Bergeron , author of Beyond the Front Door , about why outdoor play, nature connection, and even a little risky play are essential for raising happy, healthy kids. It all started with a moment many parents can relate to: complete overwhelm. On...

Why is educational technology at school different, and potentially more dangerous than screen time at home? Emily Cherkin explains why edtech is not the solution it promised to be. Kids are getting on YouTube, Discord, and unrestricted internet access at school—and parents are being left in the dark. In this bonus episode of  The Screen Less Play More Podcast , host Cynthia Dvorak sits down with E...

Are your kids safe online? From social media oversharing to gaming chats and school apps, today's children are building a digital footprint from the day they're born. In this episode of Screen Less Play More , Cynthia Dvorak sits down with cybersecurity expert  Chad Rychlewski of Cybersecurity Parents to uncover the biggest mistakes parents make—and how to fix them. Learn practical tips for: Prote...

What happens if kids don't get smartphones or social media growing up—will they binge later? In this episode of Screen Less Play More , Cynthia continues her conversation with Clare Morell, author of The Tech Exit , to debunk one of the biggest parenting myths about kids and technology. Clare explains why delaying smartphones actually helps kids develop self-regulation , healthier habits, and awar...

Is a smartphone-free childhood the key to raising healthier, happier kids? Author Clare Morell explains that we have a metaphor problem when it comes to digital technology. A lot of people think that time limits can mitigate the harms of screens and social media in the same way that moderation can mitigate the harms of guilty pleasures like alcohol or sugar. If you just do less of it you'll be ok,...

How do you keep tweens and teens safe online without tracking their every move or destroying trust? Parenting coach Megan Saxelby joins us to talk about online safety, managing gaming and social media, and why kids need real connection, independence, free play, and the freedom to get dirty to grow into resilient teens. Megan is so funny and relatable, and gives us parents actionable ideas to manag...

Are you struggling to connect with your tween or teen—especially in a world dominated by screens, attitudes, and shifting moods? In this episode of Screen Less Play More , Cynthia Dvorak sits down with Megan Saxelby , adolescent expert and longtime middle school teacher, to completely reframe the way parents understand adolescence. Megan, who taught middle school for 17 years, believes middle scho...

This encore episode remains one of the most replayed conversations in the Screen Less Play More vault. Are your kids addicted to screens—or does it feel like it? In this episode of Screen Less Play More , executive function specialist Michael McLeod (Grow Now ADHD) explains why screen addiction in kids , digital overload , and excessive screen time are becoming some of the biggest challenges moder...

AI safety for kids is key, and we have what parents need to know about chatbots, deepfakes, and digital literacy. Julia Storm of ReConnect debunks the myths around artificial intelligence and gives you the digital safety conversation that every parent needs.  Julia shares insights on how to guide children through the digital landscape while fostering critical thinking and self-awareness. She expla...

In this episode, we dive into Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff , exploring what modern parents can learn from the child-rearing practices of hunter-gatherer societies . Discover how less structured play, more independence, and strong parent-child connection can help raise resilient, confident, and happy kids.  I'll give you a quick summary that you can listen to on the way to work, or d...

How do we raise boys in the age of Andrew Tate and other toxic masculinity influencers? Julia Storm explains what the Manosphere is and how we can protect our kids from it. Host Cynthia Dvorak and Julia Storm discuss: The Manosphere includes various groups that promote misogynistic ideas. Influencers can subtly introduce harmful rhetoric while providing positive content. Memes play a significant r...

What happens when kids don't get to move, climb, or play freely anymore? In this episode,  Angela Hanscom , pediatric OT and author of Balanced and Barefoot , joins Screen Less Play More to talk about the developmental, emotional, and sensory toll of play deprivation — and why restoring free play may be the best thing parents can do for their children. The solution is so easy - let them play! Why...

Kat Zilka was a high school teacher who realized that her students were in a real mental health crisis. She asked her students to write an essay about their relationship to their phones, and was shocked to read their confessions. "Honestly, if you were to read the essays and insert another substance, like alcohol or drugs into, in place of the phone or in place of social media, it would have been...

"Instead of doing what's best for the kids, we're doing what's easier or most practical." -  Linda Åkeson McGurk   In this conversation, Cynthia and Linda Akeson McGurk explore the differences in parenting styles between the US and Sweden, emphasizing the importance of outdoor play, resilience, and a connection to nature. Linda shares her experiences growing up in Sweden and raising her children i...

What if the biggest mistake parents are making with technology is  believing parental controls actually work ? In this episode of Screen Less Play More , parenting educator and former middle school teacher Emily Cherkin exposes the uncomfortable truth about parental controls, "kid-safe" tech, and why most digital guardrails fail long before parents realize it. Emily explains how children easily by...

Welcome to "Book Bites" by Screen Less Play More. I know you're too busy stepping on Legos or driving to the grocery store to read a whole book. So I'm going to tell you the main takeaways of "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt. Now you can get smart, AND fold the laundry or drive to work! In Jonathan Haidt's book, he explains "How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of M...

"We have decided to put the world's most brilliant software engineers in kids' pockets, and we've expected them to exert a level of self-control that you and I never had as children. It's not their fault."  - Chris McKenna Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes has some incredibly insightful tips for parents. He says that having a "porn talk" with our kids can be as quick and easy as a ten-second men...

"This idea that we need to minimize risk taking or dangerous elements has really created, unfortunately, a world where there's not a lot of challenge for children. And this has a lot of negative benefits on children's health, development and well-being. C hildren will find challenges. And if we don't have them available in the playgrounds... then children are going to  probably seek it out in area...

If you think Snapchat is just for funny filters, think again. I made a fake Snapchat account, saying that I was a 15 year-old girl. Within less than 30 minutes, the algorithm fed me erotica, links to porn, and creepy religious fanaticism.  Our guest Sarah Gallagher Trombley is a former Snapchat executive, and tells us exactly how to avoid these dangers. Sarah is an expert on parental controls, cel...

"The developers of these educational games are the same great minds that are creating recreational video games. They are experts at the compulsion loop. They are experts at keeping you hooked." -  Amy Tyson Amy Tyson of EverySchool.org tells us everything you need to know about EdTech. Can EdTech really expand what teachers do? Or is it causing addiction and attention fragmentation? Looks like it'...

"The  word memorization has become like a dirty word in education ....It's always paired with the adjective rote. Now, rote memorization is memorizing stuff that you don't actually understand . And that's not very helpful . But memorization...is really the basis of learning," Natalie Wexler tells us. "T he more information you have about a subject in long-term memory, the easier it is to learn new...