ScreenStrong Families

Dr. Richard Freed, author of our book of the month, Wired Child, is a practicing Clinical Psychologist and supervisor studying the effects of  technology on children. He is  on the advisory board of ScreenStrong as well as a contributor to many publications.In part 1 of 2 interviews, Melanie and Richard share a passionate conversation about the lies and myths being promoted by the tech industry and how it has manipulated the way we have parented over the last 15+ years. They discuss how under the guise of “empowerment” and “getting ahead,” the tech industry sold us myths that we grabbed hold of and continue to cling to as technology exploded with popularity in our culture.  In actuality, the effects of toxic screen use and media exposure is constantly undermining the two most important factors in our children’s well-being: family connections and school engagement. This episode is one that you will want to listen to at least twice and inspire you to join us in reading Dr. Fred’s book, Wired Child: Reclaiming Childhood in a Digital Age. Stay tuned for Part 2 when Melanie and Richard talk about solutions. Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Today's discussion is the second part of our book of the month, Assassination Generation: Video Games, Aggression, and the Psychology of Killing, written by Lt. Col. David Grossman. Melanie and Lt. Col. Grossman discuss what he views as the “single greatest threat to our civilization”—our children’s exposure to violent visual imagery perpetuated by the Media industry at large. Lt. Col Grossman points out the Media’s double message in their acknowledgment of their influence on society while rejecting any responsibility in the content of what they are streaming to our society. This interview is packed with information on the key factors that have influenced the dramatic rise in teen suicide to how violent media content is processed by our kids’ brains. Melanie also dives into the process of the ScreenStrong Challenge and identifies it as a starting point for families to begin detoxing from toxic screen use. Lastly, Lt. Col. Grossman offers essential encouragement to families who are struggling to find hope in bringing back childhood to their children.Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Are video games hurting your relationship with your kids? Have you lost your kids to their screens? Are you desperate to get them back? Imagine never having screen conflict in your home again!As a dad, have you ever asked:Is playing video games with my kids a good bonding activity?Am I connecting with my kids as much as a think I am?Aren't screens the primary way parents spend time with their kids?Join ScreenStrong and James & Arlene Pellicane in an exclusive webinar for dads. Listen to James describe how he has solved the screen dilemma in his home by establishing healthier bonding activities with his kids. Audience Q&A included.Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Today Melanie speaks with Marilyn Evans, a mom of 5 boys and the director of Parents Aware, a resource she launched in 2016 with the goal of educating and helping parents begin to have open, honest and compassionate conversations with their children about relationships, sex and pornography.  Melanie and Marilyn discuss common blind spots parents have regarding pornography. They talk about how to build safer habits through having open and honest conversations with your children. Marilyn offers tips for both younger and older children that include taking advantage of  daily moments, a focus on values, and using available resources to help guide the conversation. Please join us in listening in to this simple, yet profound interview as Melanie and Marilyn encourage parents to be bold and brave in talking with their children about topics many of us find difficult to navigate.Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Today, Melanie talks with Steve and Candice Watters, a married couple dedicated and passionate about helping and supporting young families. They have four children—13 to 22—whom they have raised ScreenStrong.Steve and Candice share their “light bulb moments” that led to their realization and diligence in becoming intentional parents. They identified a focus and practice of building relationships with their children, building alternatives to what was being offered culturally, and being intentional about the culture of their home. They offer tips and guidance on how to introduce new habits and limits to create ways of reshaping your kids’ “appetites” for non-screen activities. Steve and Candice provide encouragement and remind us that “you are your child’s favorite toy,” and caution us on the small window of time we all truly have in building healthy families. This is an episode to inspire you to reassess your family’s culture, reassess your spousal and parental bonds, and begin to cultivate alternative family choices and habits.Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

This week we'll be hearing from Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, a US Army Ranger, paratrooper, former West Point Psychology Professor, and author of Assassination Generation: Video Games, Aggression, and the Psychology of Killing. Lt. Col. Grossman describes how playing "innocent" video games progress to addiction, why video games make kids aggressive, the dangers of operant and classical conditioning, and the mental, physical, and emotional turmoil children are experiencing due to a saturation of media violence. Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

This week, Melanie talks with Candace Collins, a single parent of a 6-year old daughter living a Screen Strong lifestyle. Candace works in Social Media and Digital Marketing and is well aware of the pull that hand held devices have on our daily lives. Candace shares her parenting journey of how she began to notice the toxic effects of screen use and how she made the choice to live counter culturally to provide her daughter a nurturing and connected environment. She offers tips and simple suggestions on how to cultivate connection, creativity, and reduce the use of toxic screens in parenting your young child. This is an episode you have been waiting for and one that you will want to listen to more than once.Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Today, Melanie is joined by Joe Clement, a teacher, parent of three, and co-author of Screen Schooled with Matt Miles. Joe is in his 28th year of teaching and brings a unique perspective as he has witnessed the change technology has brought into both the classroom and the home environment. Melanie and Joe discuss the mental health risk factors that are influenced by the toxic use of screens that result in loss of empathy, loss of awareness of facial/social cues, increased stress, and lack of development of essential interpersonal skills for our children. Joe shares how the social and academic culture within the school environment has been negatively influenced by the toxic use of screens resulting in increased distractibility, increased impulsivity to cheat, and decreased educational discussion in the classroom. Lastly, Joe provides encouragement and tips to parents and educators to improve the balance in their use of technology in the home and the classroom.Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Today, guest host, Mandee Hamann interviews Noah Reid, a 17 year old High School student and Competitive Debater and Public Speaker. Noah shares the back story on how he, at the age of 15, wrote a persuasive speech about Age Restricting Social Media. He credits his parents’ continued open communication about Social Media and how their wisdom influenced the development of his speech and his perspectives. Noah encourages parents to talk openly with their teens and for teenagers to question their use of Social Media by asking simply, “How is this benefiting you?” and “What is the purpose [behind your use]?” This is an amazingly insightful interview that is sure to inspire a conversation between you and your teen. Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

Today, guest host, Mandee Hamann, introduces Tom Hayes, who is a nationally recognized comedian, speaker, entrepreneur, writer, and creator of an animation titled Beantown Pals. Tom shares his personal story of being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at 13-years-old—learning that adversity leads to character development. Mandee and Tom discuss how the evolution of screens in our culture has changed how we parent, and Tom cautions parents that by taking away their child’s pain, it may be at the cost of their child’s character development. He urges families to consider that devices not only rob your child’s brain development, but also robs their emotional connections to the world. He encourages parents to make hard choices and ask themselves what they truly value as well as consider the legacy they are passing onto their family. Tom and Mandee’s conversation is engaging, thought provoking and straightforward—a quick listen that you’ll be glad you tuned in for. Support the showDon'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!Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!ScreenStrong Tech RecommendationsCanopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)Production Team:Host: Melanie HempeProducer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin