GenFree: Unplugging 2 Connect

Emily Cherkin & her daughter, Sylvie


Listen Later

šŸŽ™ļø Raising Screen-Conscious Kids in a Digital World

with Emily Cherkin & her daughter, Sylvie

In this episode of Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect, Kathleen Barlow sits down with Emily Cherkin, also known as ā€œThe Screen Time Consultantā€, and her daughter Sylvie for a candid conversation about growing up with intentional tech boundaries.

Emily Cherkin is a nationally recognized screen time expert, educator, and advocate for intentional technology use. Known as ā€œThe Screen Time Consultant,ā€ she is a former middle school teacher whose work has been featured in major outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post. She has also addressed both the U.S. Senate and British Parliament on issues related to screen time and education technology.

Together, they explore how technology is shaping childhood, education, and relationships, and what families can do about it.


šŸ’” Key Takeaways

  • How screen use in schools has changed and what’s being lost
  • What it’s actually like to grow up without a smartphone
  • The social dynamics of being ā€œthe kid without a phoneā€
  • How group chats, social media, and constant access impact teens
  • The benefits of phone-free schools and device boundaries
  • Practical ways parents can model healthy tech habits
  • Kids don’t necessarily feel deprived without smartphones, but they do feel different
  • Paper-based learning still offers cognitive benefits that screens can’t replace
  • Boundaries work best when they’re consistent, modeled, and values-based

šŸ”— Resources & Links

Emily Cherkin

  • 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://thescreentimeconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠
  • 🐟 Substack: ⁠⁠https://firstfish.substack.com⁠⁠
  • šŸ“˜ Book: The Screen Time Solution

Kathleen Barlow

  • 🐠 https://swimmingupscreen.com
  • āš”ļø https://smartphonefreechildhoodus.com
  • šŸ§‘ā€šŸ§‘ā€šŸ§’ https://childfirstpolicycenter.org

šŸŽ§ Enjoying the Podcast?

Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect explores how reducing screen time can help us live more connected, intentional lives—featuring conversations with Gen Z voices, parents, and experts leading the movement.

If you found this episode helpful, be sure to follow/subscribe, rate, and review Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect on Apple and Spotify.

Sharing the show with a friend or family member helps grow this conversation and supports more families in creating intentional, connected lives beyond screens. 🧔

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

GenFree: Unplugging 2 ConnectBy Kathleen Barlow ~ Swimming UpScreen