Andrea Davis has the questions you need to ask your child and yourself before giving them a smart phone or device! Have I talked to my teen about digital predators, sexting, pornography, nudes, deepfakes, gaming addiction, bullying, body image, phishing, self harm, online privacy, or artificial intelligence? (And more!) We also discuss ideas for making a successful summer with or without tech, and how to make a family tech plan. Andrea, of "Better Screen Time" also helps us navigate how to talk to our kids about pornography and what to do if they encounter it.

Welcome to the Screen Less Play More Podcast with Cynthia Dvorak! Discover the benefits of less screen time for children and practical strategies to reduce screen use as a family. Learn about guidelines, the role of a screen time parenting support coach, and fun activities to promote healthier habits. Embrace a balanced approach to technology and enhance your family's well-being.

Modern parents are constantly asking:

• What are the recommended screen time limits for children by age?

• How can I reduce my child's screen time effectively?

• How much is too much screen time really?

• What are the negative effects of too much screen time on kids?

• How do I encourage my child to engage in activities that don't involve screens?

• What should I do if my child is addicted to screens?

• What if I'm addicted to my screen too?

In this podcast, Cynthia Dvorak, founder of Screen Less Play More, dives deep into the pressing topics of screen time and its impact on children and families. Join us as we explore the benefits of less screen time, including enhanced physical health, improved social skills, and boosted creativity. We'll discuss how much screen time is too much, sharing guidelines for different age groups and the signs to watch for when it's time to cut back.

You'll also learn practical strategies for reducing screen time with your family, from setting screen limits and creating screen-free zones to planning engaging activities and modeling healthy habits. Plus, we introduce the concept of a screen time parenting support coach—what they are, how they can help your family balance tech use, and tips for finding the right coach for your needs.

Tune in for insightful discussions, expert tips, and relatable experiences that will empower you to take charge of your family's screen time. Let's work together to foster a healthier, more connected family environment!

Website & Blog: https://screenlessplaymore.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559041665093

Visit Andrea at Betterscreentime.com

Visit us at ScreenLessPlayMore.com

Learn about Jonathan Haidt's new book "The Amazing Generation" at https://screenlessplaymore.com/the-amazing-generation-is-the-anxious-generation-for-kids/

Learn about screen time parent coaching at https://screenlessplaymore.com/screen-time-parenting-coach/

screen time, parenting, technology, kids, smartphones, digital safety, summer activities, family tech plan, independence, responsibility

Play is absolutely essential to the successful development of each and every child. Listen to find out what kids are learning while they play that they can't get anywhere else!

Welcome to the Screen Less Play More Podcast with Cynthia Dvorak! Discover the benefits of less screen time for children and practical strategies to reduce screen use as a family. Learn about guidelines, the role of a screen time parenting support coach, and fun activities to promote healthier habits. Embrace a balanced approach to technology and enhance your family's well-being.

Modern parents are constantly asking:

What are the recommended screen time limits for children by age? How can I reduce my child's screen time effectively?

How much is too much screen time really?

What are the negative effects of too much screen time on kids?

How do I encourage my child to engage in activities that don't involve screens?

What should I do if my child is addicted to screens?

What if I'm addicted to my screen too?

In this podcast, Cynthia Dvorak, founder of Screen Less Play More, dives deep into the pressing topics of screen time and its impact on children and families. Join us as we explore the benefits of less screen time, including enhanced physical health, improved social skills, and boosted creativity. We'll discuss how much screen time is too much, sharing guidelines for different age groups and the signs to watch for when it's time to cut back. You'll also learn practical strategies for reducing screen time with your family, from setting screen limits and creating screen-free zones to planning engaging activities and modeling healthy habits. Plus, we introduce the concept of a screen time parenting support coach—what they are, how they can help your family balance tech use, and tips for finding the right coach for your needs. Tune in for insightful discussions, expert tips, and relatable experiences that will empower you to take charge of your family's screen time. Let's work together to foster a healthier, more connected family environment! Website & Blog: https://screenlessplaymore.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559041665093

play-based learning, early childhood education, outdoor play, child development, preschool, trust in education, risky play, parenting, kindergarten readiness, educational philosophy, childhood, education, leisure, boredom, parenting, technology, extracurricular activities, mental wellness, play, AI, artificial intelligence, parenting and technology

parenting and tech

Can a screen time parenting coach help?

https://screenlessplaymore.com/the-amazing-generation-is-the-anxious-generation-for-kids/

Learn about Jonathan Haidt's new book "The Amazing Generation" https://screenlessplaymore.com/the-amazing-generation-is-the-anxious-generation-for-kids/

If you are trying to decide when to give your child a phone - listen to this first!

In this powerful episode of Screen Less Play More, host Cynthia Dvorak talks with Tessa Stuckey; therapist, author, and Look Up nonprofit founder about the growing mental health crisis facing kids and teens in the digital age.

Tessa shares what shocked her as a counselor: more and more children, even as young as elementary school, were jumping straight to thoughts of self-harm or suicide after ordinary life stressors. Her research led her to uncover how screen overuse, instant gratification, social media comparison, lack of face-to-face connection, dopamine chasing, and online attention-seeking culture are reshaping childhood.

More information at ScreenLessPlayMore.com

This conversation is packed with practical parenting strategies to help kids build resilience offline:

• how to allow boredom without handing over an iPad
• how to teach coping skills that actually work
• why kids need more independence and real-world confidence
• how to delay phones and social media
• why many experts now recommend waiting until age 16 to buy your child a smart phone
• how to talk to kids about suicide, online predators, and digital safety
• why life is truly better offline

If you are raising a tween, teen, adolescent, or even younger kids, this episode will help you create healthier tech boundaries and protect your child's mental health in today's always-online world.

🔍 In This Episode, We Discuss

• screen time and kids mental health
• how to delay smartphones
• no social media before 16
• healthy coping skills for kids
• dopamine and screen addiction
• risky online apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Roblox
• how to help kids self-regulate
• family technology boundaries
• why boredom builds resilience
• helping kids build confidence offline

📚 Guest Resource

Tessa's book: For the Sake of Our Youth: A Therapist's Perspective on Raising Your Family in Today's Culture

🌿 Key Takeaway

The goal is not to fear technology. It's to help kids develop the coping skills, confidence, connection, and self-worth offline first so they are emotionally ready for the digital world later.

What's the best parenting podcast? You found it! Screen Less Play More! Join us as we discuss kids, phones, mental health, how to delay social media, how to prevent screen addiction, how to prevent suicide, and how to build real life resilience!

This episode was previously called: Tech Is Fueling Youth Suicide, 6 steps to keep your kids safe | Therapist Tessa Stuckey| Screen Less Play More Episode 5

Thanks for listening to the best podcast for parents! We truly appreciate it!

screenless playmore

Are phones and apps replacing the awkward moments kids actually need? In this episode, psychologist Ty Tashiro joins Screen Less Play More to explore how technology, social media, and online dating are reshaping social skills, emotional intelligence, and relationships. This isn't just a problem for kids, teens, and young adults, it affects parents as well.

From everyday social awkwardness to the decline of face-to-face interaction, we unpack why discomfort is essential for healthy social development and how avoiding it may leave kids unprepared for real relationships.

We discuss how screens can both help and harm social growth, why many young people are opting out of dating, and how social media creates unrealistic expectations around relationships, confidence, and success. This conversation dives into emotional stability, kindness, loyalty, and independence—and why modeling positive social behavior as parents matters more than ever. If you're worried about social skills, screen time, teen dating, or raising emotionally resilient kids in a digital world, this episode will change how you think about technology and childhood.

Ty Tashiro is the author of "Awkward: The Science of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome," and "The Science of Happily Ever After: What Really Matters in the Search for True Love."

Ty and Cynthia help us understand:

Social skills & Awkwardness

Is technology helping your child socialize—or quietly making it harder?

What social skills can kids never learn through screens alone?

How do you know if your child's social awkwardness is normal—or something they need help with?

Are phones and apps replacing the awkward moments kids actually need?

What's the long-term cost of avoiding face-to-face discomfort?

Dating, Relationships & the Future

• Why are so many young people opting out of dating entirely?

• Is social media giving kids unrealistic expectations about relationships?

• Are dating apps training kids to see people as disposable?

• What does modern dating teach kids about rejection—and entitlement?

Emotional Intelligence & Character

• Are we prioritizing confidence and achievement over kindness and emotional stability?

• Do kids know that loyalty and empathy matter more than "status"?

• How do children learn emotional regulation if they never see it modeled?

Boys, Men & Long-Term Outcomes

• Why are so many young men struggling to become "marriageable"?

• How do economics and social skills collide to shape kids' futures?

• Are boys being quietly left behind socially—and no one wants to say it out loud?

Parenting & Modeling Behavior

• Are your kids learning social skills from you—or from influencers?

• What are you modeling about relationships without realizing it?

• If kids don't see healthy adult friendships, how will they build their own?

• Are we protecting kids from discomfort—or preventing growth?

More about Screen Less Play More, the best parenting podcast about play and tech at:

https://screenlessplaymore.com/

https://substack.com/@screenlessplaymore?utm_source=user-menu

Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ScreenLessPlayMore

Welcome to the Screen Less Play More podcast — the best parenting podcast for raising balanced, confident kids in the digital age by reducing screen time, managing gaming and social media, and restoring play-based childhoods.

Hosted by Cynthia Dvorak of ScreenLessPlayMore.com, we share expert advice and research-backed strategies to help parents create healthy screen habits, set realistic tech boundaries, and build stronger family connection without constant monitoring or power struggles. Each episode gives you practical tools for reducing screen time battles, ensuring online safety for kids, and age-appropriate digital limits. We discuss if there is such thing as healthy screen time, and what are some good guidelines for screen time by age.

But it's not all about screens! Screen Less Play More is also about the benefits of free play, outdoor play, and imaginative play so your children can thrive both online and offline. Look no further for executive tech strategies, research-backed tools, ideas for screen free entertainment, and screen free activites for kids from tiny to teenager. We are big on play, especially risky play, outdoor play, and the friluftsliv outdoor lifestyle.

Through interviews with experts, educators, and authors, we aim to make you more intentional parents, mindful parents, and happy parents! Whether you're into calm parenting, gentle parenting, or FAFO parenting- we have advice that will guide your decisions around digital technology and play based learning (and play just for the sake of play!)

What's the best parenting podcast about play and screens? Check out the top 6 episodes from 2025 of Screen Less Play More : https://screenlessplaymore.com/top-rated-parenting-podcast-episodes-of-the-year-our-most-listened-most-loved-conversations/

Thanks for listening! If you click "follow" you'll make sure to never miss an episode!

https://screenlessplaymore.com/screen-less-play-more-podcast/

"What's the best way for students to prep for the SAT?" Kaplan? Princeton Review? Khan Academy? Where do I start? This episode should not be missed if you have a child in middle school or high school. Charlotte Winters has been an SAT tutor for 15 years, and teaches us that SAT prep isn't as difficult or complicated as we think it is. Our talk explores the differences between the SAT and ACT, and the significance of the PSAT. We tell you how parents can help without massive anxiety or going "varsity blues." Welcome to the Screen Less Play More Podcast with Cynthia Dvorak! Discover the benefits of less screen time for children and practical strategies to reduce screen use as a family. Learn about guidelines, the role of a screen time parenting support coach, and fun activities to promote healthier habits. Embrace a balanced approach to technology and enhance your family's well-being.

Modern parents are constantly asking:

• What are the recommended screen time limits for children by age?

• How can I reduce my child's screen time effectively?

• How much is too much screen time really?

• What are the negative effects of too much screen time on kids?

• How do I encourage my child to engage in activities that don't involve screens?

• What should I do if my child is addicted to screens?

• What if I'm addicted to my screen too?

In this podcast, Cynthia Dvorak, founder of Screen Less Play More, dives deep into the pressing topics of screen time and its impact on children and families. Join us as we explore the benefits of less screen time, including enhanced physical health, improved social skills, and boosted creativity. We'll discuss how much screen time is too much, sharing guidelines for different age groups and the signs to watch for when it's time to cut back.

You'll also learn practical strategies for reducing screen time with your family, from setting screen limits and creating screen-free zones to planning engaging activities and modeling healthy habits. Plus, we introduce the concept of a screen time parenting support coach—what they are, how they can help your family balance tech use, and tips for finding the right coach for your needs.

Tune in for insightful discussions, expert tips, and relatable experiences that will empower you to take charge of your family's screen time. Let's work together to foster a healthier, more connected family environment!

Website & Blog: https://screenlessplaymore.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559041665093

Can a screen time parenting coach really help? Yes! Learn more at https://screenlessplaymore.com/screen-time-parenting-coach/

Learn more about Jonathan Haidt's new book "The Amazing Generation" at https://screenlessplaymore.com/the-amazing-generation-is-the-anxious-generation-for-kids/

How do you raise confident, creative, independent kids in a world built to keep them glued to screens?

In this fun episode of Screen Less Play More, Cynthia Dvorak talks with Erin Loechner, author of The Opt-Out Family, about how parents can reduce screen time, delay smartphones, resist social media pressure, and create a home that is more engaging than the algorithm.

Erin shares what she learned after stepping away from a high-profile online career and choosing a radically different way to raise her children—with no personal devices, no social media, shared family technology, more books, more outdoor play, and more real-world freedom.

Parents, tune-in to learn:

• how social media algorithms are designed to hook kids and adults
• why TikTok, Instagram, and endless scrolling make screen time battles harder
• practical ways to reduce phone dependence without constant fights
• how to create a screen-free childhood
• why independent play, risky play, and outdoor freedom build resilience
• simple ways to become "more engaging than the algorithm"
• how to help kids regulate boredom, frustration, and curiosity without screens
• what parents can do when schools rely heavily on iPads and ed-tech
• how reading, creativity, and community replace the need for constant digital entertainment

You'll leave this conversation with practical parenting strategies, fresh ideas for becoming low-tech, screen-free play, and real hope for raising kids who thrive both online and offline.

What is the best parenting podcast? You found it! Screen Less Play More is the best podcast for parents who want to know:

How much screen time is too much? Should my child have a phone? How do I reduce social media and gaming battles? What can kids do instead of screens?

Learn even more at ScreenLessPlayMore.com

Parents of toddlers, kids, tweens, and teens- If you want less screen time, more outdoor play, more books, more independence, and calmer family rhythms, this episode is for you.

In this episode, parents will discover practical ways to reduce screen time for kids without constant battles and learn why many families are embracing no smartphone parenting as a healthier way to raise children. We explore the benefits of creating a screen-free childhood, including more creativity, stronger family connection, and more time for books, boredom, and real-life fun. Erin shares thoughtful strategies for how to delay phones, build healthy phone habits for kids, and create clear family technology boundaries that actually work. We also dive into the connection between social media and kids' mental health, why outdoor play for kids matters so much, and simple independent play ideas that help children grow in focus and imagination. You'll also hear about the powerful risky play benefits that build resilience, how to create a realistic digital detox for families, and what low-tech parenting can look like in everyday life. This is an encouraging conversation about parenting in the digital age, perfect as a screen time podcast for parents who want calmer homes, more confident kids, and less reliance on devices. We also touch on the growing smartphone-free school movement and how parents can advocate for healthier school environments.

This episode was previously called: How to be more engaging than the algorithm

Thanks for listening! We truly appreciate it! Please follow, subscribe, and leave a review!

screenless playmore

In this first episode of Screen Less Play More, host Cynthia Dvorak interviews Kat Zilka of Dis/Connect to tackle a growing concern: the digital crisis children face today.

We break down:

• The impacts of excessive screen time on kids' mental health, attention, and social development.

• Why smartphones, social media and gaming can be addictive — and what "screen addiction" really looks like.

• Practical, research-backed strategies for parents to reduce screen time and help kids reconnect with real life.

• How to set healthy digital boundaries, encourage play, and support emotional well-being.

Who this episode is for: Parents of babies, toddlers, elementary-age kids, tweens, or teens; educators; caregivers; anyone concerned about healthy media use.

Kat Zilka was a high school teacher who realized that her students were in a real mental health crisis. She asked her students to write an essay about their relationship to their phones, and was shocked to read their confessions. "Honestly, if you were to read the essays and insert another substance, like alcohol or drugs into, in place of the phone or in place of social media, it would have been addicts crying for help."

Kat formed Dis/Connect to help teens cultivate a more healthy relationship with tech and social media. Our Screen Less Play More podcast interview has some fascinating insights.

Learn more about Disconnect at https://www.disconnectme.org/

Welcome to the Screen Less Play More Podcast with Cynthia Dvorak! Discover the benefits of less screen time for children and practical strategies to reduce screen use as a family. Learn about screen time guidelines by age, how Big Tech targets our kids, and how to stay screenstrong. Learn how to manage kids & screens, how to find a screentime solution, and tips on raising good humans! Whether you have babies, toddlers, elementary kids, or teens, this show give you advice on managing tech and life!

You will feel good inside once you learn about the benefits of play, and why play is vital to childhood! It isn't always just about discipline, it's about information, research, and facts.

Modern parents are constantly asking:

• What are the recommended screen time limits for children by age?

• How can I reduce my child's screen time? How do I get my child off screens?

• How do I get my son off video games?

• What are the negative effects of too much screen time on kids?

• What are the signs of screen addiction?

• What should I do if my child is addicted to screens?

• What do I do about kids and technology?
• How do I get my child off screens without a fight?
• How do you stop screen addiction?
• Does my child have a video game addiction?
• What are the benefits of play?
• How do I get my kids to play more?
• What are the benefits of reading to kids?
• What's the best podcast about screens and kids?
• What is the power of play?
• What is the Anxious Generation about?
• How does screen time affect sleep, physical health and mental-well being?
• Is my child's screen time interfering with their sleep?
• How to create healthy screen habits?

Youtube link to this episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBXOGzjQ9JE

Website & Blog: https://screenlessplaymore.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559041665093

What is the best parenting podcast about screen time and kids? https://screenlessplaymore.com/screen-less-play-more-podcast/

Learn about Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price's new book "The Amazing Generation" at https://screenlessplaymore.com/the-amazing-generation-is-the-anxious-generation-for-kids/

Help! My kids are addicted to screens, now what? https://screenlessplaymore.com/help-my-kids-are-addicted-to-screens-now-what/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6tYVFH0D-4&t=2580s

Is social media safe for kids?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PybOb60ak0E&t=618s

https://screenlessplaymore.com/is-social-media-safe-for-kids/

What are the best parenting books about screen time?

https://screenlessplaymore.com/what-are-the-best-parenting-books-about-screen-time/

Why are kids addicted to screens?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBXOGzjQ9JE&t=742s

https://screenlessplaymore.com/why-are-kids-so-addicted-to-screens-hint-its-by-design/

Is my child ready for a phone?

https://screenlessplaymore.com/your-summer-survival-guide/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5N80zMPRFs&t=37s