In this episode, Athena and Mims dig into what screen time really does to kids’ language, learning, and emotional health—and how content + context matter as much as minutes. From co-viewing and pausing for real interaction to tone-checks, time-outs, and faith-framed routines, they share what’s worked, what flopped, and how they’re setting guardrails for digital natives (while checking their own habits, too). Yes, we talk Blue’s Clues pauses, background TV, fast-paced gaming, and why “watching people play” isn’t the same as doing. Plus: how to turn “meltdowns” into mindful check-ins and reflection.

In this episode:

• Why today’s kids are true digital natives (and why that changes our job)
• Language & connection: co-viewing, background TV, and the power of pausing to respond
• Motivation & mood: fast-cut videos, gaming loops, and “analysis paralysis” vs. practice
• Family values in practice: boundaries, calendars, consequences that connect, and modeling our own screen use

Try this week:

Pick one show or game your child loves. Sit together, pause twice to ask: “What just happened?” and “What would you do next?” Then end with 10 minutes of doing (draw a scene, act it out, practice a move, build something inspired by it).

Sources:Muppalla, Sudheer Kumar, Sravya Vuppalapati, Apeksha Reddy Pulliahgaru, and Himabindu Sreenivasulu. 2023. “Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management.” Cureus 15 (6): e40608. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40608

Join the convo: Got a screen-time dilemma, a co-viewing win, or a tip that helped?

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