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PODCAST

ScreenStrong Families

Melanie Hempe, BSN

After her oldest son, Adam, dropped out of college due to his video game addiction, Melanie Hempe, BSN, put her nursing degree and training from Emory University to good use and founded ScreenStrong. It’s her mission to create educational programs for kids and parents so no one will experience the pain of screen addiction. Her ability to simplify medical science and provide practical solutions for families has allowed her to share her passion and bold screen solutions nationally. ScreenStrong has

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

44:48

“He Was a Good Kid”: The Truth Behind the Netflix...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/04/09

In this deeply personal and sobering episode, Melanie Hempe and Mandee Hamann unpack the haunting Netflix film Adolescence, a raw portrayal of the modern teenage experience and how easily even “good kids” can spiral when left alone with the wrong influences online. Together, Melanie and Mandee walk through the film’s most powerful moments, examining the disconnection between parents and teens, the normalization of harmful online behavior, the secret digital languages kids use, and the heartbr...

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34:34

Introducing the "Kids’ Brains & Screens Home Edition"...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/04/02

Big news! In this episode, Melanie Hempe and Mandee Hamann share an exciting announcement—Kids’ Brains & Screens now has a Home Edition! After the incredible success of the Student Edition in classrooms, ScreenStrong is making the same science-backed content more accessible for families. Designed for easy home discussions, book clubs, and personal use, this compact, streamlined resource brings powerful education straight to parents and kids. Melanie and Mandee break down the key differenc...

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33:25

From 16,000 Videos to Real Life: Colin’s Screen Detox...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/03/26

In this powerful episode, Mandee Hamann sits down with Andrea, ScreenStrong Ambassador, and her 8th-grade son, Colin, to share their eye-opening journey through screen addiction. Colin once watched over 16,000 YouTube videos in class, trapped in a cycle of digital distraction that left him disengaged and overwhelmed. But everything changed when his parents took action, guiding him through the Kids’ Brains & Screens curriculum and removing personal tech devices from his life. Now, Co...

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51:27

ENCORE: The Broader Effects of Tech and How to...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/03/19

In this episode, Melanie speaks with author and therapist Tom Kersting, diving into the profound impact of technology on children’s social and emotional development. Together, they explore the challenges many parents face—kids prioritizing gaming over real friendships, emotional dysregulation, and the growing disconnect between generations. Tom unpacks key insights from Disconnected, offering practical strategies to help families break free from screen saturation. He and Melanie discuss...

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44:02

Get There Before The Trafficker: A Wake-Up Call for...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/03/12

In this eye-opening episode, host Mandee Hamann sits down with Aleda Renter from Protect Me Project to discuss the alarming connection between screen use and child exploitation. Aleda shares her expertise on how traffickers use social media, gaming platforms, and other online spaces to groom and exploit young victims. She and Mandee explore the critical role that screens play in making children more accessible to predators and how seemingly innocent online interactions can escalate into dange...

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56:42

A Psychiatrist's Tips on How to Detox Your Child’s...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/03/05

In this episode, Melanie welcomes back Dr. Victoria Dunckley, an integrative psychiatrist and author of Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen Time. This conversation, taken from a previous interview, focuses on the practical steps parents can take to successfully implement the screen-time reset. Dr. Dunckley shares strategies for preparing the whole family, including how to engage a relu...

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50:09

How Screens Hurt Kids’ Brains: A Conversation with...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/02/26

In this episode, Melanie welcomes Dr. Victoria Dunckley, an integrative psychiatrist and author of Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen Time. This conversation, taken from a previous interview, highlights how Victoria’s early work with troubled children and adolescents led her to research the profound effects of screen time on young minds. She introduces the concept of Electronic Screen...

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49:01

A Psychiatrist's Perspective: Why Parents Are Right...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/02/19

Melanie Hempe welcomes Dr. Stacey to discuss the recent pushback against phone-free school initiatives and social media regulations. A recent Wall Street Journal article claims parents are overreacting and that social media isn’t the real culprit behind the teen mental health crisis—but is that true? In this episode, Melanie and Dr. Stacey break down the common arguments against limiting social media use, including: The myth that parents are fearmongeringWhy moderation isn’t the solution...

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33:02

The Opt-Out Movement: Simplifying Family Life in the...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/02/12

Host Mandee Hamann engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Erin Loechner, former social media influencer and founder of The Opt-Out Family movement. Erin shares her journey of stepping away from a digital-centric lifestyle to embrace a low-tech approach, focusing on genuine family connections and intentional living. Drawing from her book, The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't, Erin discusses practical strategies for parents aiming to reduce their famil...

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46:36

Protecting Kids in the Digital Classroom: An Honest...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/02/05

In this thought-provoking episode, host Mandee Hamann sits down with Andrew Liddell, a career federal courts litigator, technology attorney, and passionate advocate for youth digital civil rights. Together, they dive into educational technology (EdTech) and explore why it may not be as beneficial for children and learning as many believe. Andy shares his insights on the hidden dangers of EdTech, including issues related to data privacy, screen overuse in schools, and the commercialization of ...

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61:13

Navigating Screen Challenges: Real Questions, Real...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/01/29

Melanie Hempe is joined by Laura Wurzburger to tackle some of the most pressing screen-related parenting questions from our Facebook group. From managing screen-free boredom to motivating kids without video games, we dive into real struggles faced by families just like yours.Topics include:Helping an only child (11) learn to entertain herself without screensFinding effective motivation strategies beyond screen timeTransitioning teens (14-16) to a screen-free lifestyle—success stories and...

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38:56

The Gen Z Perspective: Honest Truths About Social...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/01/22

In this inspiring episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, Mandee Hamann sits down with Gabriela and Kaylee, the Founder and Vice President of APPstinent, a Gen Z-led student organization dedicated to helping individuals, especially Gen Z, redefine their relationship with social media and technology.Kaylee and Gabriela’s contrasting experiences with technology growing up offer a powerful lens into the challenges their generation faces. Kaylee’s parents avoided introducing smartphones and...

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43:45

Save Your Child from Screen Addiction with Dr. Johann...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/01/15

This episode is shared with permission from Dr. Johann D'Souza and the Virtuous Leaders Podcast.In this episode, Dr. Johann D’Souza talks with Melanie Hempe, RN, founder of ScreenStrong, about her personal journey to combat screen addiction after her son’s struggle with video games. Melanie shares practical tips for parents, including delaying access to social media and smartphones, using tools like Canopy for content filtering, and encouraging offline activities and face-to-face connections....

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35:21

Yearly Wrap-Up: 2024 Highlights (#221)

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/01/08

Thank you all for listening and engaging with the podcast this year. Here are just a few highlights from our 2024 episodes, and we look forward to continuing to see you in 2025!Happy New Year!Episodes Featured (in order of appearance):Dad of 6 Shares Advice for Removing Screens with Michael Rainer (#218)A Psychologist’s Perspective on Screen Addiction with Tom Heidrich (#178)Understanding Dopamine in Developing Brains with Dr. Anna Lembke (#211)Australia Raises Social Media Age to 16: A Conve...

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42:16

ENCORE: Busting Screen Myths in the New Year with Dr....

ScreenStrong Families ·

2025/01/01

Happy New Year! In this special encore episode, Melanie and Dr. Stacey help you start the year off right by debunking common screen myths and offering practical tips to establish healthier screen habits for your family. Discover strategies to reclaim connection, restore balance, and make this year your best ScreenStrong year yet!Support the showDon'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 Stro...

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45:06

ENCORE: Screen Use During the Holidays—ScreenStrong...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2024/12/25

Got questions? We've got answers! In this episode, Melanie and Mandee tackle some of the most pressing holiday concerns from our ScreenStrong Families Facebook Group. From managing screen time during the holidays to the benefits of a holiday screen detox and creative ways to keep only children entertained, this episode is packed with practical advice to help your family stay connected and screen-free this season!Support the showDon't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if you enjoy ...

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37:41

Why Your Middle Schooler Doesn’t Need a Smartphone...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2024/12/18

The holidays are here, and many parents are contemplating whether to gift their middle schoolers a smartphone. In this episode, Melanie and Amy, who together have raised eight middle schoolers, dive into why smartphones are the most regretted parenting gift. They explore the science behind middle school brain development, the risks of increased dependence and peer pressure, and the long-term effects on social skills and mental health.Learn why phones should never be given as gifts, how they c...

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42:47

Australia Raises Social Media Age to 16: A...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2024/12/11

In this episode, co-host Mandee Hamann is joined by Dany Elachi, co-founder of the Heads Up Alliance, to discuss Australia’s historic move to raise the minimum age for social media access to 16. This game-changing draft bill, which recently passed the Senate, positions Australia as a global leader in protecting children from the harmful impacts of early exposure to social media.Together, Mandee and Dany explore the details of the new law, including why the age of 16 was chosen, how it will be...

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54:45

Dad of 6 Shares Advice for Removing Screens with...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2024/12/04

In this powerful episode, Melanie Hempe sits down with Michael Rainer, a father of six, to discuss his inspiring journey of transforming his family's screen habits. After hearing a ScreenStrong talk that deeply resonated with him, Michael decided to remove iPads, limit screen time, and even pack away the Nintendo Switch gathering dust in his home. The result? A happier, more connected household—without the battles many parents fear.Michael shares what sparked his passion for tackling the scre...

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59:09

Encore: The Endless Non-Tech Gift Ideas with Evan...

ScreenStrong Families ·

2024/11/27

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, a senior in high school, 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! Exclusively available in our Connect Plus subscription.Evan...

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