ScreenStrong Families
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 won the hearts of many families who are preventing and reversing childhood screen conflicts and addiction.
Host of the popular weekly ScreenStrong Families Podcast, Melanie has been featured in Psychology Today, Thrive-Global, The Wall Street Journal, A&E Network, CBS, CNN, NPR, the documentary Screened Out, and various news and television outlets. Her ScreenStrong Kids’ Brains and Screens Courses are available for parents and students. Her four books include, “Kids’ Brains & Screens: A ScreenStrong Student Course,” “Will Your Gamer Survive College?” “Can Your Teen Survive—and Thrive—Without a Smartphone?” and “The ScreenStrong Solution: How to Free Your Child from Addictive Screen Habits.”
ScreenStrong Families
10 Things Your 14-Year-Old Boy Can Do This Summer with Evan Hempe (#265)
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Fourteen-year-old boys face a tricky gap every June—too old for camp, too young for a job, and just bored enough to default to hours of gaming. Evan Hempe knows the feeling firsthand: he grew up without video games or a smartphone, and in this episode he shares the real list of what filled his summers instead. Funny, candid, and packed with stories from his own backyard, Evan makes the case that a great summer isn't about avoiding screens, it's about going toward something better.
In this episode, Evan covers:
- Why a skill you can never "finish" (music, woodworking, cooking) beats a game that never ends
- How starting a small business at 14 builds confidence adults can't teach
- The difference between consuming and creating and why people respect both
- Why his most vivid memories are from creeks, ballfields, and rained-out camping trips, not screens
Whether you're a parent looking for ideas or a teen wondering what to do with three open months, this episode is the blueprint for a summer worth remembering.
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
