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
The Science of Media Use and the Teenage Brain with Dr. Douglas Gentile (#23)
Dr. Douglas Gentile is an award-winning research scientist, educator, author, and is professor of developmental psychology at Iowa State University. In this episode, he and Melanie discuss the science that supports the addictive quality of video games and the resistance of parents to believe the evidence supporting the conclusion to the question, "Are video games addictive?" He hints as to what is coming in the near future in regards to the diagnosis of issues related to screen use and the creation of screening tools to identify when overuse becomes a problem. Dr. Gentile concludes that video games don't allow kids to build the skills they need in the real world and cautions parents, "Don't feed the bears!" He encourages setting limits and creating balance in your family despite the resistance kids may present. "It's worth having the fight...trust that parenting matters."
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ScreenStrong Tech Recommendations
- Gabb Wireless—Smartphone Replacement (use code STRONG for discount)
- Canopy—Device Filter (use code STRONG for discount)
Production Team:
- Host: Melanie Hempe
- Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin
