ScreenStrong Families

What does it look like to raise ScreenStrong kids for 10 years—and stick with it all the way through high school?
In this episode, Melanie reconnects with Jodie, a mom who attended a ScreenStrong workshop a decade ago and has been putting these principles into practice ever since. Now, her daughter is in high school and is just getting a flip phone—not a smartphone!
Jodie shares what it has been like to raise both her daughter and son with a different approach to technology, navigate the pressures of a screen-saturated culture, and stay committed to her family's values as her kids have grown. She reflects on the challenges, the lessons she's learned, and what she wishes more parents understood about raising kids who can thrive without constant screen access.
If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to raise teenagers without handing them a smartphone—or felt like you're swimming upstream trying to do things differently—this conversation offers encouragement, perspective, and a glimpse of what the long game of ScreenStrong parenting can look like.
You don't have to follow the crowd. You can raise your kids differently—and you don't have to do it alone.
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 if one of the best ways to help your teen spend less time gaming and scrolling is to give them something meaningful to do in the real world?
In this episode, Melanie Hempe and Dr. Stacey explore why teens may benefit from having a part-time job—and what the research says about structured activities, screen use, executive function, confidence, responsibility, academics, and long-term outcomes.
You'll learn:
Why structured time may protect teens from problematic technology use
What fewer teens working today may mean for adolescent development
How a job builds responsibility, confidence, independence, and real-world skills
What the research says about working and school performance
Why age and hours worked matter
Why working more than about 20 hours a week during the school year can become problematic
How to help a screen-focused teen find a job they can actually get excited about
How a job can become part of a bigger goal: less screen time and more real life
The goal isn't simply to keep your teen busy or take away their screens.
It's to help them build a life they don't want to escape from.
Listen in—and then start the conversation with your teen about getting a job.
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 Part 1, Andrew Hempe explained what he gained from growing up without smartphones or video games. In Part 2, he answers the questions parents and teens ask him most.
Andrew starts by admitting the obvious: he did miss out on some things—easy access to pornography, the anxiety and depression tied to social media, and screen addiction itself. His point: not all missing out is bad, and there's a real difference between protecting a child from permanent harm and sheltering them from healthy difficulty.
He also walks through what happened when he finally got a smartphone after high school, on his own terms, as a tool rather than a "toy." No social media. No gaming console. Because the habits, hobbies, and delayed-gratification mindset were already in place, the phone never became a crutch.
From there, Andrew tackles the arguments parents hear constantly:
Why can't my kid just have screens and sports, music, and friends? 
Won't my child resent me forever? 
Don't confuse intelligence with maturity, and don't confuse access with preparation.
He closes with a direct message to teens listening—that the friendships worth keeping don't depend on a screen—and a reminder to parents that conversations alone won't solve a screen problem; only removing access will.
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 if growing up without a smartphone or video games didn’t mean missing out—but actually meant gaining more?
In this episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, 22-year-old Andrew Hempe shares what it was really like to grow up without the addictive screens that are now considered a normal part of childhood. After seeing his older brother struggle with severe gaming addiction, Andrew’s parents made the difficult decision to raise their younger children without smartphones or video games.
Andrew explains why he believes he didn’t miss out at all. Instead, he gained four things that have shaped who he is today: strong family relationships, the ability to be comfortable with boredom and discomfort, real-world skills, and deep friendships.
He shares personal stories about family dinners, sports, music, school, and friendships—and explains how having more time away from screens gave him the opportunity to develop communication skills, creativity, confidence, perseverance, and meaningful relationships.
Andrew also addresses one of parents’ biggest fears: What if my child is the only one without a smartphone or video games? Will they be left out? Will they have friends?
His experience offers a powerful perspective for parents who wonder whether protecting childhood from addictive technology means their kids will miss out. Andrew's answer is clear: there is so much more to gain when screens aren't taking up the space meant for childhood.
This is Part 1 of a two-part series. In Part 2, Andrew answers the questions he hears most often about growing up this way—including what he actually missed out on, what happened when he eventually got a smartphone, and why some things are worth missing.
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

How much technology should kids really be using at school? In this episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, Melanie Hempe and Dr. Stacey explore the growing use of screens, Chromebooks, tablets, educational apps, and AI in schools—and ask the question every parent should be asking: Is technology actually helping our children learn?
You’ll learn why the issue isn’t simply “technology is good or bad,” but what technology is replacing. Are screens replacing books, handwriting, play, movement, teacher interaction, conversation, or creative problem-solving?
Melanie and Dr. Stacey discuss:
Healthy screen time and technology use at school
Why teacher interaction and relationships matter
Technology use and young children
What kids need to learn before AI does the work for them
How parents can ask schools better questions about classroom technology
Practical ways to create a more human-centered learning environment
Technology is a tool—not the foundation. The child is the foundation.
If you're concerned about kids and screens, technology in schools, digital learning, or AI in education, this episode will give you practical insights and questions you can take to your child's school.
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