Podcast Episodes

Kids, Screens, and the Rise of A.I. with Aaron Plaat (#242)

On this episode, host Mandee Hamann sits down with Aaron Plaat (aaronplaat.com) to unpack one of the most pressing questions for parents today: What does the rise of artificial intelligence mean for …

Published on 12 hours ago

ENCORE: How to Get Smartphones Out of School with Officer Gomez (#116)

Melanie is joined once again by Officer Gomez—School Resource Officer (SRO) and sworn Deputy of the Boise County Sheriff’s Department—to discuss how to remove smartphones from schools. Officer Gomez …

Published on 1 week ago

When Is Your Child Ready for a Phone? When You’re Ready for Them to See Porn with Doug Smith (#241)

The First Voice Matters: Talking to Kids About Porn Before the Internet Does 

Welcome to this powerful encore episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast with Melanie Hempe and Doug Smith (author, Sc…

Published on 3 weeks ago

Why There Are Treatment Centers for Gaming Addiction—And What That Should Tell Every Parent with Dr. Hilarie Cash (#240)

In this powerful episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, Melanie Hempe sits down with digital addiction pioneer Dr. Hilarie Cash, one of the earliest voices to sound the alarm on the dangers of…

Published on 1 month ago

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

In this special episode, originally aired on the Developing Minds podcast and shared with permission, host Mariana Carazo sits down with Mandee Hamann from ScreenStrong to explore how early tech expo…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Raising Kids in a Screen-Saturated World—Without Losing Your Mind with Dr. Andrew Doan (#238)

In this powerful crossover episode, Dr. Andrew Doan welcomes Melanie Hempe—registered nurse, author, and founder of ScreenStrong—to share her deeply personal and eye-opening journey from screen strug…

Published on 2 months ago

ENCORE: The Science of Media Use and the Teenage Brain with Dr. Douglas Gentile (#23)

In this encore episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, Melanie Hempe revisits an important conversation with Dr. Douglas Gentile, award-winning research scientist, educator, author, and profess…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

No Phones, No Problem: How One Family Raised Tech-Strong Teens Without Smartphones with Dan Rothert (#237)

In today’s episode, Melanie Hempe sits down with Dan Rothert—a former college soccer coach, now consultant, and proud ScreenStrong dad—to share how he and his wife, Karen, a middle school teacher, su…

Published on 2 months, 4 weeks ago

We Need to Talk About Kids & Porn Exposure with Dr. Adriana Stacey (#236)

In this urgent and eye-opening episode of the ScreenStrong Families Podcast, host Melanie Hempe is joined by child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Adriana Stacey to tackle one of the most difficult, …

Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

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

In this inspiring episode, Mandee Hamann sits down with Chet Kittleson, entrepreneur and founder of Tin Can, a company on a mission to help kids and families connect offline—without the interference …

Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago