ScreenStrong Families

Yes, January is almost over, but it's never too late to reset your screen rules at home and with friends! Melanie and Dr. Stacey dive into some practical tips on how to set screen rules in your home with other kids/kids' friends, how to manage teens begging for smartphones and video games, and the crucial elements that make up a healthy family. Whether you're already confident in yo...

Screen confidence becomes even more enriching when we take the time to listen to the experiences of parents who have successfully navigated the challenges ahead. Today, we are privileged to have Christina Rahm, a mother of three, graciously share her family’s transformative journey from screen chaos to a state of screen strength. Christina candidly offers a glimpse into the chaotic moments when th...

This Q&A session comes from ScreenStrong's full-day Kids' Brains & Screens workshop in October, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. During this session, parents were invited to ask Andrew Hempe questions about what it was like growing up without access to toxic screens and how he navigated his school-age years with that in mind.  Andrew's answers are honest, compelling, and e...

Today, Mandee interviews Tom Heidrich, a ScreenStrong Ambassador from Brisbane, Australia. Tom recently completed a Master of Educational and Developmental Psychology and is registered as a fully licensed psychologist in Australia. His specialized areas encompass anxiety and depression, parenting and attachment, relationships, sexuality, and identity, as well as resilience and self-esteem. Mandee...

Thank you all for listening and engaging with the podcast this year. Here are just a few highlights from our 2023 episodes, and we look forward to continuing to see you in 2024! Happy New Year! Episodes Featured (in order of appearance): Tips for Moms: Part One (#145) We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Adults with Dr. Leonard Sax (#142) The Power of Independent Play with Dr. Adriana Stacey (...

"Isn’t it okay to let our guard down during the holidays? After all, everyone needs a little break—we don’t need to be so strict."   Join Melanie and Dr. Stacey as they navigate the delicate balance of screen time moderation during the holiday season. While loosening our grip on strict rules may seem tempting, they delve into the nuanced discussion of whether it's truly acceptable t...

Is your son really being social on his game? Yes, according to most people. Kids believe they are getting their social needs met through their video games, and parents believe that social benefits are the best reason to go against their gut and allow gaming.    But what does science say about online interactions meeting the social needs of pre-teens and teens? Today, Melanie and Dr. Stacey will un...

In this ENCORE episode, Melanie Hempe and worldwide Coach and Educator, Sue DeCaro , discuss a variety of non-tech activities for all ages to implement both this holiday season and year round. Original Air Date: Dec 4, 2020 Support the show Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!...

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, a senior in high school, 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...

Happy Thanksgiving from ScreenStrong! We are thrilled to share a special episode with you this week, centered around the theme of gratitude. Tune in to hear expressions of thankfulness from fellow ScreenStrong families, reflecting on what has brought them joy this year and the invaluable support they've received on their ScreenStrong journeys. A heartfelt thank you to all who submitted their...

Today's show will take us behind the curtain of the teen brain who is searching for a way to get around parental controls!  You will learn that the idea of parental controls is a way to gain brand loyalty by the companies who want your kids glued to their devices. If you use parental controls then your child will be safe, right? Wrong. Because the job of every child is to discover work around...

Today, 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 candid nature of this conversation and will be...

Human Trafficking has been the world’s fastest-growing criminal enterprise for over a decade. It is estimated that over 26 million people are enslaved globally, and over 1 million, 300,000 of which are children, in the U.S. alone. An even darker statistic, the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report conducted annually by the State Department, states that less than 1% of victims are ever identified and...

In this episode, we debunk the common misconception that preteens and teens are fully prepared for group texting. Dr. Stacey and Melanie explore the fascinating insights from developmental science that present a different perspective. Together, they identify ten prevalent issues within group texting and media sharing. As you tune in, you might be startled by the striking similarities between group...

Join us for an enlightening episode as Evan and Andrew Hempe share their incredible journey of living 48 months as ScreenStrong Teens, completely free from smartphones and video games. They take us through their unique experiences and reveal a list of 48 surprising benefits they discovered during this bold experiment. This episode is all about the unexpected rewards and transformations that come f...

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...

Today, we are honored to welcome Susan Linn, the author of "Who's Raising the Kids," to our podcast. We love the title of her book because it encapsulates the essence of being ScreenStrong! One of the most significant, albeit often invisible, risks parents confront in childhood screen overuse is the unintentional surrender of our children to a virtual caregiver. We lose our kids dai...

In this episode, Melanie is joined by Brian Montgomery, a husband and father of four who courageously shares his family’s heartbreaking story. Brian’s son, Walker, tragically took his life due to the devastating effects of sextortion on Instagram. Brian’s unwavering transparency about this tragic event is an invaluable gift to us all. In this emotionally charged conversation, Brian imparts invalua...

We have a special treat today! Melanie was recently on The Pete Kaliner Show to discuss ScreenStrong and some key points about screen use, such as why fifteen is the worst age for a smartphone, the difference between Android and iPhones, and how screens are overprotecting our kids and teens. Tune in to this episode to better understand the history, science, and solutions behind ScreenStrong's...

In today's episode, join Melanie Hempe as she reviews an often-overlooked long-term consequence of childhood gaming dependency: failure to thrive in college. Melanie shares warning signs and offers practical tips for both parents and teenagers to address and reverse these issues effectively.  In addition, she explains how this bad habit can take root well before high school and why parents ne...

THE STUDENT COURSE IS HERE!!! Our team is over the moon to finally present the brand new ScreenStrong Student Course. We have been working day and night for months to bring you this amazing content. Melanie is joined by Dr. Stacey who graciously reviewed the Student Course and is here to give her opinion on why it's the BEST screen education for kids to date. Visit our website for more detail...

Melanie is joined by Kristin Bride, a social media reform advocate whose son, Carson, died by suicide as a result of cyberbullying on Snapchat and other anonymous apps. It is her heart's desire to get her family's message out about the deadly dangers of what parents think are innocent apps. Kristin testified before the Senate Committee in Feb of 2023. Please call your US Senator and ask...

ScreenStrong welcomes everyone back to school with this ENCORE episode in which Melanie is joined by our friend Matt Miles, a teacher and co-author of Screen Schooled: Two Veteran Teachers Expose How Technology Overuse Is Making Our Kids Dumber .  Matt is a passionate educator and advocate for his students. With his uniquely bold convictions, Matt Miles talks about the counterproductive nature of...

On today's episode, Melanie is joined by ScreenStrong Ambassador Emily Harrison as she reflects on the last five years as a ScreenStrong family. Emily offers up some fantastic tips that she's learned along the way, and it's lovely to hear how her family's life has been forever changed. Support the show Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the ep...

Today is an exceptional episode! Hallie Kate joins Mandee Hamann to talk about her experience with screen addiction and the aftermath of her parents deciding to take away the devices. Wise beyond her years, HK offers poignant observations about her generation based on personal experiences and encourages parents from a teen perspective. Her poem about her screen-addicted generation at the end of th...