ScreenStrong Families

Episodes

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  "No Smartphone, No Regrets!": A Mom’s 10-Year Journey with Jodie Watson (#270) 14.10.2026 35m

  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 like to raise both her daughter and son with a different approach to technology, navigate the pres...
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  Psychiatrist Tips: Why Your Teen Needs a Job (and Fewer Screens) with Dr. Adriana Stacey (#269) 23.09.2026 45m

  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. You'll learn: Why structured time may protect teens from problematic technology useWhat fewer te...
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  I Didn’t Miss Out (Part 2): What I Gained Growing Up Without Screens with Andrew Hempe (#268) 15.09.2026 33m

  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's a real difference between protecting a child from permanent harm and sheltering them from healthy di...
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  I Didn’t Miss Out (Part 1): What I Gained Growing Up Without Screens with Andrew Hempe (#267) 08.09.2026 31m

  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 parents made the difficult decision to raise their younger children without smartphones or video games....
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  Psychiatrist Answers: Should Schools Be Using Less Technology? with Dr. Adriana Stacey (#266) 26.08.2026 44m

  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 or bad,” but what technology is replacing. Are screens replacing books, handwriting, play, movemen...
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  ENCORE: How School Screens Impact Social Emotional Learning with Dr. Richard Freed (#92) 20.08.2026 57m

  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 asks Richard to provide our listeners his perspective on frequently asked questions from pa...
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  ENCORE: How Teachers and Parents Can Support Phone-Free Schools with Dr. Adriana Stacey (#214) 12.08.2026 45m

  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, limiting contact with kids during school hours, and encouraging phone-free days. For parents wan...
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  ENCORE: A Smartphone-Free Adolescence: Melissa’s Story (#172) 31.07.2026 1h 7m

  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 candid nature of this conversation and will be inspired to make some changes in your home! Support ...
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  ENCORE: A Psychiatrist's Tips on Managing Screen Time with Dr. Adriana Stacey (#106) 08.07.2026 1h 19m

  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, anxiety, adult ADHD, insomnia, and sports psychiatry. Support the show Don't forget to subs...
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  ENCORE: Summer Strategies: Keeping Middle Schoolers ScreenStrong This Summer (#190) 01.07.2026 57m

  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 show Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your fee...
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  10 Things Your 14-Year-Old Boy Can Do This Summer with Evan Hempe (#265) 24.06.2026 53m

  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 great summer isn't about avoiding screens, it's about going toward something better. In this epi...
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  Why Screens Are Changing the Classroom: What Parents Need to Know About Kids, Schools & Attention (Part 2) (#264) 14.06.2026 43m

  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 world around them. Together, Melanie and Joe explore why many students struggle with focus, emotiona...
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  Why Screens Are Changing the Classroom: What Parents Need to Know About Kids, Schools & Attention (Part 1) (#263) 28.05.2026 31m

  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 common in schools: declining attention spans, weaker social skills, emotional disconnection, and c...
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  What Happens When You Take Your Teen’s Phone Away: Understanding Screen Addiction & Withdrawal (#262) 29.04.2026 47m

  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 ways similar to substance dependency. Together, they explore how technology is reshaping childhood...
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  Why Kids Are Craving Disconnection: Helping Families Thrive Offline in a Screen-Filled World (#261) 16.04.2026 32m

  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. Together, they unpack how screens are quietly reshaping relationships in the home, crowding out cri...
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  The Courts Are Catching Up: What the Google & YouTube Verdicts Mean for Your Kids (#260) 07.04.2026 27m

  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 with the guardrails your child needs to thrive. Support the show Don't forget to subscribe, rate...
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  Raising Creators, Not Consumers: A Philosophy for Life & Parenting with Bradley Morris (#259) 27.03.2026 46m

  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 scrolling, watching, and comparing, many children are spending more time consuming than creating. But what d...
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  It’s Not Strict, It’s Protective: The Truth About Phone-Free Schools with Kathleen Barlow (#258) 11.03.2026 48m

  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 of digital overuse, especially inside our schools. She now serves on the leadership team of Smar...
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  Are Classroom Screens Helping Kids Learn, or Quietly Working Against Their Brains? with Neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath (#257) 05.03.2026 50m

  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 EdTech movement—like “multimedia enhances learning,” “kids learn best on their own,” and “AI tut...
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  The Case for Screen-Free Schools: Protecting Kids’ Minds & Character with Dr. Kathleen O'Toole (#256) 18.02.2026 37m

  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’Toole leads Hillsdale’s nationwide K–12 Education Office, supporting a growing network of classical ...