Thank you all for listening and engaging with the podcast this past year. Here are just a few highlights from our 2025 episodes. Happy New Year!

Episodes Featured (in order of appearance):

Building Executive Function: Why Play Matters More Than Tech with Mariana Carazo (#239)

Protecting Kids in the Digital Classroom: An Honest Look Into "Ed-Tech" with Andrew Liddell (#225)

From 16,000 Videos to Real Life: Colin’s Screen Detox Story (#231)

Get There Before The Trafficker: A Wake-Up Call for Parents with Aleda Renter (#230)

The Opt-Out Movement: Simplifying Family Life in the Digital Age with Erin Loechner (#226)

Offline and Intentional: A Conversation with Tin Can Founder Chet Kittleson (#235)

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

In today’s episode, Melanie shares five simple but powerful strategies to help your family enjoy a peaceful, connected, ScreenStrong Christmas. If you’ve ever watched the holidays get hijacked by devices, meltdowns, or gaming marathons at grandma’s house, this episode will give you the confidence and clarity you need to lead your family well this season.

You’ll learn:

• Why giving presence (not screens) creates a more meaningful Christmas morning
• How to plan tech-free traditions that help your kids settle in, connect, and regulate
• The importance of protecting sleep and slowing the holiday pace
• What to tell extended family about your low-tech celebration
• How to choose connection over perfection—and why it matters more than anything

Melanie also shares real stories from families who’ve removed toxic tech and discovered unexpected peace in their homes.

Make this the Christmas your kids will actually remember—not because of gadgets, but because you were fully present… and so were they.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• ScreenStrong Gift Guide (updated for 2025)
• Evan’s Soft Christmas Piano Album (perfect for calming evenings)

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

For this special holiday encore episode, Melanie is joined by her son Evan to discuss practical holiday gift ideas—and encourage people to skip smartphones and video games as gifts this season. Evan gives his perspective on the highs and lows of wanting a smartphone in middle & high school and shares some of his favorite childhood gifts.

Grab your copy of our Non-Tech Gift Guide discussed in this episode!

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

In this holiday episode, Melanie Hempe and Dr. Stacey unpack the #1 screen mistake parents make at Christmas: giving in and gifting devices. They reveal the hidden blind spots that cause even the best parents to rationalize smartphones and gaming systems as “good gifts,” especially during the emotional pressure of the holidays.

Together, they explain why teaching teens to “use social media wisely” isn’t the solution, why willpower can’t beat persuasive tech, and how guilt drives parents to hope their kids can handle technology they’re not developmentally ready for. Melanie and Dr. Stacey offer simple, practical alternatives: what to give instead of screens, how to plan a healthier holiday, and how to lead with confidence rather than emotion.

A timely, encouraging conversation to help families avoid Christmas regret and give their kids the gift of a healthier, screen-strong childhood.

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Evan Hempe steps behind the microphone to share a powerful personal perspective you won’t want to miss. As a young adult looking back on a ScreenStrong childhood, Evan reflects on the unexpected (and sometimes overlooked) gifts that came from growing up without toxic screens.

While the culture insists that kids “need” smartphones, video games, and social media to survive socially or academically, Evan’s story paints a very different—and hopeful—picture. This episode dives into the ten things he’s most grateful for now that he’s old enough to see the lifelong benefits clearly.

From deeper friendships and genuine confidence to stronger focus, better sleep, and a childhood filled with real connection instead of digital distraction, Evan shares why he’s thankful his parents took the road less traveled. His list is honest, encouraging, and full of insight for families wondering whether the screen-strong path is worth it.

As we head into Thanksgiving, this episode is a heartfelt reminder that protecting your kids from toxic screens isn’t deprivation—it’s a gift they will appreciate for the rest of their lives.

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

What is the best phone for kids?
It’s the question parents everywhere are asking—and today, we’re finally going to answer it.

In this episode, Melanie is joined by special guest and fellow mom, Hayley, who recently went on the journey of deciding what kind of phone her son should have. When Hayley casually mentioned that she uses a flip phone, Melanie knew she needed to get her on the show to unpack the whole story—and the bigger dilemma every parent is facing in today’s digital world.

Together, they walk through The Grand Smartphone Experiment—how we all went from simple flip phones to handing miniature supercomputers to 12-year-olds, and why the cultural pendulum is finally swinging back toward sanity.

Melanie and Hayley revisit the flip-phone era, the arrival of the smartphone, the “let’s give these to our kids” panic years, the rise of “safe phones,” and the slow slide back into danger as kid-phones become more like adult smartphones.

Most importantly, they answer the real question:

What do kids actually need—developmentally, emotionally, and socially—when it comes to tech?

This conversation offers parents clarity, confidence, courage, and a fresh perspective on what independence really looks like. You’ll learn:

• Why kids never needed smartphones in the first place
• How “safe phones” slowly became unsafe
• The hidden developmental costs of giving kids smartphones
• Why the simplest tool—a basic, boring flip phone—is often the smartest choice
• The surprising benefits kids gain by NOT having what everyone else has
• Why phones should be tools, not toys
• And why giving kids less tech builds more grit, leadership, and real independence

If you’ve ever felt unsure, pressured, or alone in your phone decision, this episode will leave you empowered. The narrow road is rarely the easy road—but it’s always the right one.

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

In this special episode, we share audio from a virtual panel discussion hosted by Thrive Forward Therapy, “Protecting Youth in the Digital Age.”

How can parents keep their kids safe online? It’s one of the most urgent questions families face today. With nearly 70% of parents saying parenting is harder now than it was 20 years ago—largely due to technology and social media—this conversation couldn’t be more timely.

Join Melanie Hempe, RN, BSN, founder of ScreenStrong, Homeland Security Special Agent Dennis Fetting, and Jennifer Wilmoth, LMFT, founder of Thrive Forward Therapy, as they unpack the real risks kids face online and offer practical tools for families and educators. From digital safety and social media pressures to emotional health and prevention strategies, this powerful discussion equips parents to take confident, informed steps toward protecting and guiding their children in today’s tech-driven world.

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

In today’s episode, ScreenStrong Ambassador Liaison and host Mandee Hamann welcomes Katie Kimball, founder of Kids Cook Real Food
and two-time TEDx speaker, for an inspiring conversation about helping kids build real life skills in a world obsessed with screens.

As a mom of four, teacher, and creator of the #LifeSkillsNow summer camps, Katie has helped thousands of families empower their kids to cook, clean, and take responsibility for their daily lives—all while bringing families closer together around healthy food and meaningful work.

Mandee and Katie dive into:

• Why life skills are essential for kids’ confidence and independence
• How screens are replacing valuable opportunities for hands-on learning
• Why risk-taking (yes, even with sharp knives and climbing trees!) is necessary for growth
• How busy families can find time to teach practical skills in everyday moments
• Ways to foster critical thinking and problem-solving—even before the “age of logic”

Whether you’re navigating the ScreenStrong 30-Day Detox or simply looking for ways to replace screen time with real-life learning, this episode will encourage and equip you to raise capable, confident kids who know how to thrive—no device required.

🎧 FREE Kids Cook Real Food resource for ScreenStrong audience

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

This week, Melanie sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Adriana Stacey to discuss new research showing how social media use in adolescence may be changing the way our kids think.

Most parents know that excessive screen time can impact mood and sleep, but Dr. Stacey explains how it goes much deeper — affecting attention, memory, and even language development. Together, they explore what’s happening inside the adolescent brain, why even “moderate” social media use can interfere with learning, and what parents can do to protect cognitive growth during these crucial years.

You’ll also hear the story of one teen whose focus and motivation began to unravel with increased online use — and how simple changes helped restore his ability to think clearly and engage again in real life.

Key Takeaways:

• How social media overstimulates the brain’s reward system
• Why cognitive performance may decline even with moderate use
• The “opportunity cost” of screen time — what our kids lose when they scroll
• Practical steps for helping teens build stronger focus and healthier habits

If you’ve ever wondered whether your child’s smartphone is interfering with their ability to think, focus, and learn, this episode is for you.

Access FREE "Undoing Choices" Download

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, host Melanie Hempe sits down with Amy Eytchison, a mother of four grown children, to have an honest conversation about one of the most overlooked issues in parenting today: video game addiction among boys.

While the nation is finally waking up to the dangers of smartphones and social media for our daughters, many parents are missing the other half of the digital crisis—our sons, who are quietly slipping away behind glowing screens. Together, Melanie and Amy uncover why gaming is not “just a game,” how it preys on boys’ developmental needs, and why so many young men are struggling to launch in life.

They discuss the cultural blind spots keeping parents in denial—like “he’s safe at home,” “he’s smart, so I’m not worried,” or “it’s just how boys socialize”—and reveal the neuroscience behind why gaming can rewire a child’s brain and fuel depression, loneliness, and loss of purpose.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or friend, this is an essential listen for anyone who cares about helping today’s boys grow into strong, healthy, and purpose-driven young men.

Resources Mentioned:

• Start your family’s 7-Day or 30-Day Digital Detox through the ScreenStrong Connect community.
• Explore the Kids’ Brains & Screens Home Edition for science-based tools and family conversation guides.
• Visit ScreenStrong.org
  for more information, resources, and upcoming events.

Articles Referenced:

• "Tyler Robinson and America's Lost Boys”
• 'Failing at life': Psychiatrists reveal what made Tyler Robinson ideal lone wolf in Charlie Kirk case
• The Psychology of Charlie Kirk Killer Tyler Robinson Predicted by Psychiatrist

Support the show

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy the episode. Your feedback helps us bring you more of the content you love. Stay Strong!

• Get your copy of the BRAND NEW Adventures of Super Brain book!
• Start your ScreenStrong Journey today!
• Check out our Kids' Brains & Screens products.
• Want to help spread the ScreenStrong message to your community? Consider becoming a ScreenStrong Ambassador!

ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations

• Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)

Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin