Remember what it was like to be a teenager? Do you remember the insecurity around discovering yourself? Now, imagine your teenage self with not only a school full of peers to compare yourself to, but with an entire internet full of people to measure up to, to compete with for likes, and pictures of parties you weren’t invited to. Can you imagine how hard that would be? Well many of our kids are experiencing just that. They are floundering in the deep end of a virtual pool before their brains are developed enough to metaphorically swim.

The research is coming in fast about the giant social experiment of putting the pocket-sized computers into the hands of young children and teens, and the results are…alarming, to say the least. In this episode, we are thrilled to discuss this important subject with social activist and champion of giving back our children a healthy childhood, the late Collin Kartchner. We are devastated at his passing but want his legacy and his message to live on.

Collin helps us to understand the direness of the situation concerning kids and their internet consumption, specifically social media and online gaming. These platforms are designed specifically to give our minds dopamine hits, which can to dependence, and provides the false sense of connection that kids are craving. This can create a vacuum in their minds that may lead to depression and lack of connection to people around them.

Although this information at first paints a bleak picture for childhood, we discuss the beautiful antidote that is at all of our fingertips: connection. REAL connection with actual humans in our lives. Collin offers concrete advice about trying out a family screen detox, and gives us lots of inspiring suggestions on how to increase the connection in our own home with the people we love. His rallying cry to #savethekids will truly inspire you and leave you hopeful that you can truly make a difference in your child’s life (and how to model freedom from screen dependence yourself:)!

Original Air Date: 8.31.2020

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ORGANIFI

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