Melanie Hempe, BSN, is the founder of ScreenStrong, an organization that empowers parents to delay toxic screens—video games & smartphones— for kids & teens while increasing healthy activities, life skills, and family connections. Through ScreenStrong, she provides easy education on brain development, the effects of screen use on kids, and solutions for parents who desire to free their kids from screen addictions. Melanie helps parents reclaim their kids by delaying the use of toxic screens and reconnecting families.
Start Your New Year Off Right When It Comes to Screen Time Did you loosen your screen restrictions over the holidays? Are you regretting it now? Now is the perfect time to get back on the right foot and avoid the common myths that surface this time of year. Avoid these four screen time myths […]
10 Reasons Parents Cave And Give Kids Smartphones I recently got a phone call from a mom of three teens who attended one of my workshops. We spoke for an hour. In desperation, she admitted that the biggest parenting mistake she’d made to date was giving her kids smartphones in 8th grade. She said her […]
by Melanie Hempe, BSN, with Psychiatrist Dr. Adriana Stacey, MD Speaking to BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg ahead of the launch of her new Channel 4 film, I Am Ruth, Kate Winslet admitted that parents feel ‘utterly powerless’ about how to help their children navigate social media. I Am Ruth confronts this dilemma as Winslet shares the story […]
Part 2 of the Screenstrong Lifestyle Course You’ve had your defining moment. You know in your gut your child’s screen use has become a problem and you’re committed to making a change in your home. But how? We have your back. In our Screenstrong Lifestyle course, we give you the education you need to […]
Part 1: Kids’ Brains and Screens Hi. This is Melanie Hempe and I’ve been waiting for months, even years, to introduce you to our Screenstrong course. If you are worried about kids and screens, this is for you. In fact, today may be the day you’ll look back on and remember where you […]
Let’s face it, technology is here to stay. And it’s useful. We watch YouTube videos to figure out how to fix our cars or make new recipes. We use software to create household budgets, video conferencing to communicate with those far away, and navigation systems to find our way to unfamiliar places. These technologies can […]
Reclaim Your Kids From Screens So They’ll Find Joy in Real-life Activities Again “I don’t know how to explain it, but something is wrong with my son,” one mother told me, fighting back her tears. “He’s a good student, he does his chores, he used to be so sensitive and caring. But I feel like […]
Games and Social Media Trigger Excitement and Fear in a Way that can Alter a Child’s Brain Mindfulness may be growing in popularity, but so is the opposite trend – digital distraction. And stress caused by digital distraction is hurting our kids. Our kids spend more time on screens than they do sleeping. The […]
It is easier than you think to bypass the screen holiday blues this season Every year we have high hopes for a storybook Christmas filled with traditions, delicious meals, and warm family connections. We tell ourselves, “If I try harder, I can achieve a peaceful Christmas full of meaning.” But every year around this time […]
Screen toys are not real toys. In fact, they are not toys at all. The decision to remove video games and smartphones years ago for anyone under the age of 18 in our home, transformed our lives in so many ways. Our kids love books and school, play music, love sports and nature, and actually […]
Parents across the globe are struggling with what some call the biggest parenting challenge of all time: how to control a child’s overuse of addictive technology (primarily video games and social media/smartphones) in a culture in which they have constant access to it. Teens are binging on screens, YouTube, and video games through the night, […]
This sample letter to your child’s teacher may help. All parents understand the struggle of managing screen time in our children’s lives. We can be empowered to take the leadership role in our own homes and structure our days to include time for exercise, life skills, and family connection. We delay smartphones and monitor computer […]
By Dr. Leonard Sax, originally published on ThePublicDiscourse.com The record-smashing success of WAP is a warning to parents. You need to know what your kid is listening to. You need to have the courage to limit your kid’s exposure to the most noxious elements of American culture. You need to find a healthier, brighter, truer […]
All parents have strong biases when it comes to managing their kids’ screen use. What are yours? “My child would never send a nude photo, that is not how she was raised.” “I don’t believe my child is lying to me; I have good kids.” “Video games aren’t that bad. I played as a kid […]
What happens when our kid’s only childhood memory is a screen? One of our jobs as parents is to create childhood memories that will sustain them through their lifetime; memories that will be told around the campfire, at weddings, and even at funerals. Memories are so beautiful and heartfelt they make us smile, laugh, and […]
“My kids have already watched 3 hours of TV today and it is only 9:30 in the morning.” “It’s lunchtime and my tween daughter is still in her PJs. She has been glued to social media since she got out of bed—no, since she woke up and before she even got out of bed.” “My […]
Throw out Fortnite and Tiktok and dive into real-life activities this summer. The full effects of the recent lockdown will not be realized for a while but one thing is for certain: our kids (and all of us) have been spending way too much time on screens. Our ideas for non-tech summer activities will help […]
Stop second-guessing yourself. Don’t be the last to know what your teen is posting online. Let’s pretend that we are sitting in a room together. Your teen left her phone on the coffee table and walked out. Would you feel comfortable with me picking it up and reading all of her social media posts? Would […]
Parents Need Community To Help Kids Escape Screen Addiction “Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world.” -Margaret Mead I was recently invited to a gathering of eight moms who had been to a ScreenStrong workshop at their school. They were getting together to learn from each other […]
We have overlooked the underlying causes of social media stress and our kids are paying a high price. Think back to when you were a teenager. Remember that painful longing to fit in and the feelings of insecurity about your looks? Do you recall that cutting comment made to you in middle school, and the […]
Is your mom mean? I know mine was… Your mom will not allow you to have a smartphone? She won’t let you play video games? She says no to social media too? What? She won’t even let you have an Instagram or Snapchat account? It’s official: You have a Mean Screen Mom. You are not alone, […]
Some Parents are Blind When it Comes to Teen Pornography Addiction Because of my work with ScreenStrong, and my own experience with my oldest son, Adam, I’ve had a lot of parents over to my house, and we’ve discussed many common teen behaviors. I’ve started to see that parents can be blind when it comes […]
In this post, we continue our Book of the Month series with an interview between Melanie Hempe and Breaking the Trance co-author, George T. Lynn. We previously heard from Cynthia Johnson and her interview is available on our site. Melanie Hempe (MH): How did you become passionate about this issue? George T. Lynn (GL): I’m, […]
“Your family is stronger than screens.” —Cynthia Johnson ScreenStrong started the 2021 Book of the Month series with Breaking the Trance written by George T. Lynn and Cynthia C. Johnson. Below is a summary of the interview between Melanie Hempe and Cynthia Johnson. Melanie Hempe (MH): Will you share about your background and why you […]
Smartphones Provide Fuel for Helicopter Parents Want independent kids? Disconnect their phones. Sarah pulled up to her last stop on a rushed Monday morning. It was her day to drive the carpool. Devon opened the door and collapsed into his seat. After fastening his seatbelt, he stared into his smartphone without stopping to greet […]
Why Smartphones Make Horrible Holiday Gifts Considering giving your child a smartphone this holiday season? Think again. Every parent desires to give their children the perfect gift during the holidays. We long to see the look on our children’s faces when they open what they have been begging for all year. Secretly, we want them […]
It’s Okay to be Different How we learned to be a ScreenStrong Family in a screen addicted world. by Julie Christian, ScreenStrong Ambassador “I don’t want to go to school today,” my 10-year-old son whined. Jacob was the most naturally curious of my three children. He loved going to school. His words were a […]
What’s the Best Age to Give My Teen a Smartphone? Finally, a simple answer that makes perfect sense. by Melanie Hempe, BSN If you’re looking for confirmation that smartphones and social media are good for your kids, this is not one of those posts. The “best age” question is a trick question. Here’s why. […]
A Real Life: What Childhood Once Was and Still Should Be by Dawn Poulterer Woods, ScreenStrong Ambassador In days with lots of words and opinions, I have felt highly unmotivated to post thoughts on any digital platform. But this poem came to me yesterday in a matter of 20 minutes. I write it for parents of […]
A Call to Parents: The Screen Effect by Jennifer Ruisch, screenwriter & ScreenStrong Ambassador The great experiment is underway. An entire generation of kids and teens are now using screens in their free time to watch funny videos, play games and connect with friends. And now, thanks to Covid-19, they’re also being educated entirely […]
How Fortnite Makes Your Son Aggressive Three reasons his “harmless game” may be making him mean. by Melanie Hempe, BSN Note: This piece was written with boys in mind, however, girls have struggles with video games too. Many parents think it’s an overreaction to believe violent video games make kids violent. We read articles […]
Sleepovers: Should Parents Allow Them? Three things to consider before your kids pack that sleepover bag. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong You’re probably not planning to allow your kids’ friends to introduce them to porn or graphic violence this summer. But if they’re heading elsewhere for a sleepover, that just might be […]
The Video Game Addiction Test How to know if your child is developing an unhealthy dependency. Video game dependency is a serious issue. Not only does it lead to mental and physical health problems, but it can slowly replace all other important interests and activities in a child’s real life like sports, school, friendships and […]
New film, Screened Out, explores how we can regain control of our screen time. We spend time looking at screens for work, for social connection, and for relaxation so much so that screen time that it seems to suck up most of our day. Some mobile devices even provide a weekly screen time report to […]
Spoiler Alert: Your Child is Not a Virtual Angel Tips on how parents can avoid blind spots when it comes to kids and screens. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong For good reason, parents think the best of their children. Parents unconditionally love their kids and, while that helps our children’s development thrive, it […]
5 Reasons to Disable Your Teen’s Smartphone Why quarantine is the perfect time to wean your teen off her smartphone. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong My teenager just woke up, walked into the kitchen, and said, “Mom, what day is it?” The days are running together, kids are staying up too late, […]
5 Reasons to Uninstall Video Games Is your son binging on video games during the quarantine? Here’s why it’s okay to take the games away. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Let’s admit it, sometimes we let the kids splurge. Maybe it’s a cookie before mealtime, an extra piece of cake on their […]
50 suggestions for a (not-so-lame) family movie night with your teens. By ScreenStrong Movie nights can be an important time for family bonding. Movies can relieve tension, create conversations, and cause us to think outside the box. Watching movies together can create a bridge when your teen is being negative, times are stressed, or when […]
How to Reduce Screen Time in One Week Give your family a new perspective on life without mindless screen time. by Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Are you exhausted over screen time limits in your home? Do your kids need a break from video games and smartphones? Do you need a plan to […]
How Much Screen Time Is Okay During the Quarantine? What to do when our routines have evaporated. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong As families around the nation hunker down and practice social distancing, now more than ever parents seek an answer to the question of how much screen time is okay. In […]
How Hand-Me-Down Phones Are Hurting Our Kids Three reasons why giving your teen your old phone is not a good idea. by Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong The temptation is real. You need to upgrade your phone. So what will you do with your old one? Trading it in doesn’t amount to much, […]
Should I Worry About My Kids’ Screen Time During the Pandemic? How one crisis can put our kids at risk for a second crisis. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong With all that’s going on in the world right now, should parents worry about how much time their kids spend on screens? After […]
Five Keys to Avoid a Screen Crisis During Quarantine By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Are you looking for tips for regulating screen time during the quarantine? We need guidance during times like this when our routines are disrupted and we find ourselves with hours of downtime. The following are practical solutions for […]
Why The Tech Talk Doesn’t Work | ScreenStrong How you can help your teen dodge digital mistakes. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong A mom sits across from me at a restaurant she picked, outside of her normal stomping ground. She doesn’t want anyone to see her meeting with me. She is embarrassed. […]
Out With the Negative and In With the Positive By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Not too many years ago parents who came to our workshops asked if screen time could make their kids stressed, anxious and depressed. Intuitively, parents knew that screen time used for entertainment, not just screen overuse, had the […]
Why Smartphones Make Horrible Christmas Gifts Considering gifting your child a smartphone for Christmas? Think again. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Every parent desires to give their children the perfect gift at Christmas. We long to see the look on our children’s faces when they open what they have been begging for […]
Yesterday, our kids were dressing up in princess costumes and digging in the sandbox. Today, they are standing in front of their mirrors taking selfies to build their personal brands on social media or spending hours in darkened rooms playing video games. They’re lost in an adult virtual world, obsessed with video games and smartphones. […]
Rethinking School Screens: Why Our Kids Can’t Focus By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong When teachers put devices in the hands of kids and expect them to be productive, they’re expecting too much. Teaching kids with technology is analogous to having an AA meeting in a bar. —Matt Miles, ScreenStrong Ambassador, author, and high […]
Silence Really is Golden By Dawn Poulterer-Woods, ScreenStrong Ambassador Years ago, before the iPhone was clutched in every human hand, I posed a question to our 300 plus high school students. After years of working in a high school as a teacher and counselor, I noticed some changes in our culture that were causing me […]
Middle School Misfortunes Then and Now, One Teacher’s Take By Benjamin Conlon Let’s imagine a seventh grader. He’s a quiet kid, polite, with a few friends. Just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill twelve-year-old. We’ll call him Brian. Brian’s halfway through seventh grade and for the first time, he’s starting to wonder where he falls in the […]
Open Letter to a Ninth-Grade Boy Screen Tips for High School By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong “Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.” —Uncle Ben, Spider-Man (2002) You’re starting high school and we’re so excited for your new adventure! We know you’ll have a wonderful time with your old friends and make many […]
Photo: Halo, Dead Rising 3, Call of Duty: WWII, Fortnite We all know of [the] problems that video games can [cause]. And we haven’t done anything about it. Because it was [another] family, not mine. But unless we start to learn from some of these societal mistakes, we are going to repeat them. — […]
Sometimes in the of act of giving our kids smartphones, we need to step back and take a broader view of what that smartphone is replacing in real life. The following story by Benjamin Conlon paints a perfect picture of the benefits of allowing simple, everyday events to build maturity in our kids’ lives. […]
Are you ready to throw the video games and smartphones out the window? This is definitely not the summer you had in mind. If you’re like many families, by the middle of summer, you’ve hit a wall with the screen obsession in your home. Summer vacation is supposed to be a time for family fun. But […]
Are you happy with the amount of time your child spends on a screen? Are you pleased with how your son spends his summer break on the couch, in the air conditioning, racking up more kills in Fortnite? Are you okay with how much time your daughter spends scrolling through a world that you don’t […]
Has your child ever thrown a controller when playing a video game? Has he ever hit a sibling because of his gaming frustration? Do you fear what your child will do if you tell him to turn off the game? You’re not alone. Games are not a neutral activity. They stimulate the release of neurochemicals, […]
Wondering if your kids should be on social media? Let’s start by examining what social media was designed for: marketing, entertainment and to keep our attention (i.e.be addictive). One thing it wasn’t created for? Kids. As more and more kids and teens use social media for longer periods of time, we are seeing the negative […]
How Video Gaming Can Sabotage Sports By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Why is it so easy for a boy to get sucked into gaming and it is so hard for him to stick to a real sport? One answer: video gaming is easy and sports are difficult. In other words, kids like […]
Why Every Boy Is An Athlete: Even Your Gamer | ScreenStrong By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Not every child needs to play sports, right? After all, maybe sports just aren’t his thing. Maybe he isn’t gifted in sports like he is at gaming and coding. Sports can also be a huge time […]
By Melanie Hempe, Founder of ScreenStrong – January 15, 2019 PHOTO CREDIT: iStock Parents no longer need to rely solely on their intuition when it comes to the best solutions for balancing their kids’ screen usage. Last year brought more concrete evidence and more science to back up the reasons kids are better off when parents […]
Many parents struggle over the perfect time for their child to have a smartphone, but are we making the decision harder than it should be? After all, our kids will gladly tell us when they think the time is right. But before giving into their demands and changing their world forever, start with a few […]
“The contract experiment was a failure at our house… She has proven that she can’t manage it on her own; the contract made it worse.” —Mom of a teen girl Building strong digital citizens does not begin with a smartphone contract. You (nervously) just gave your teen his first smartphone.* Now you are […]
When it comes to kids and screens, we hear the myth of the forbidden fruit a lot. Parents ask, “Well, if I don’t let my son game now, won’t he just binge on it later?” Or, “If my daughter isn’t allowed on social media now, won’t she just crave it more later?” This theory of […]
Will Your Gamer Survive in College? Stop the gaming addiction before you throw away college tuition. By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong Did you know that students with video game overuse habits are in one of the highest risk categories for dropping out of college their freshman year? So, while you are busy […]
Take control of the latest gaming drug before it goes too far. Four moms are standing by after a recent seminar I gave nervously waiting for a magic answer from me on how to handle their kids’ new drug–Fortnite. “It’s all they talk about,” one mom said with an emotional tone in her voice. […]
Rethinking Personal Laptops in the Classroom Are classroom computers making kids smarter or more distracted? By Melanie Hempe, BSN, Founder of ScreenStrong If your children had a choice, would they choose to hang out in the research section of the public library for hours a day studying, or check social media and play video […]
We made it! My daughter made it to her 18th birthday without a smartphone. She is alive and well and, might I add, a very happy teen. I didn’t start off with a plan to delay her smartphone use in high school. It just unfolded that way due to life circumstances. This is what happened…. […]
Remember when kids used to have too many books and toys? Now their lives are filled with too many screens. While you are packing up the Christmas ornaments and sorting through old toys to make room for the new, now is the perfect time to declutter the screens in your home. If you are like […]
“I think back to how I might have done things differently… I probably would have waited longer before putting a computer in my children’s pockets.” —Melinda Gates This is a common line of thinking for many technology experts. Perhaps it is because they know exactly how powerful this technology is; perhaps they realize that, as […]
It’s the end of the day and everyone is getting home from school and work. Tired and hungry, with homework looming, the family transitions into the next hectic segment of the day. For many parents, allowing the use of entertainment screens seems like a great option for their children to get some much-needed relief and […]
Lately you’ve noticed that it takes your tween son twice as long to write a paragraph on the computer as it took you to write one in cursive, back in the day. But he’s super fast at surfing the net on your smartphone. And despite all the websites at her fingertips, your teen daughter can’t […]
Let’s be honest. Video games (and screens in general) can make great babysitters. They are available 24/7, kids love them and you can’t beat the rate! Plus, you have work to do and gaming can’t be that bad for them, right? Maybe you even read a blog that said that it was actually good for […]
When you hear the word “vacation,” what comes to mind? Perhaps a break from routine, loosening the reins, indulging in fun activities (and food!) of which you normally wouldn’t partake in the day-to-day regime? For a child, it means “Mom and dad are not working and they are paying attention to me.” It’s true, your […]
How real play helps your child learn much-needed real-life skills. Pre-game jitters. They have hit our house hard and my boys could hardly fall asleep last night. We love baseball at our house but like any sport, some games are bigger and way more important than others. This is one of those games. All of […]
Building strong “digital citizens” does not begin with a smartphone contract. You (nervously) just gave your teen his first smartphone. Now you are on a strategic mission to build a responsible “digital citizen,” although you’re not exactly sure what that means. You have done your homework and have decided to meet on neutral ground with […]
Start organizing your home today for a successful low-tech summer Contributor: Jennifer Harvey, Interior Designer A couple of summers ago my kids were really into playing games on their devices. At first, I thought it was a fun and creative outlet that kept them busy while I got things done. But I soon discovered that even […]
Give your child the gift of outdoor memories they will never forget! Another summer camp season is just around the corner. There are literally hundreds of camps advertised to enrich your child with a summer full of memorable experiences. One overnight game camp boasted the inclusion of one hour of outside activities for their “balanced […]
Why video games don’t prepare a young boy for real baseball or real life. The season was as fresh as the new uniforms. The night air was crisp. His focus was locked in. And with the swing of the bat and a sweet crack, the ball went sailing. He took off for first base just […]
I really love middle school kids, I have two of them! If you have been through middle-school parenting, you may have also noticed what I see. Crazy things seem to happen to a tween’s brain the first day they walk into middle school – and that’s why social media is NOT smart for middle school […]
The Myth of the Over-Scheduled Child Is your under-scheduled child becoming obsessed with his screen? Chances are, you have read articles, talked with friends, and given quite a bit of thought to the challenges that arise with filling our children’s schedules with extracurricular activities. Experts warn us of the dangers of our trophy kids not […]
How to Protect Your Child from Online Porn 7 steps parents can take at home to prevent online porn exposure at an early age. “I never thought this would happen to my child.” A local mom continues, “We were devastated. So embarrassed. This has been so painful for our whole family. We will never get his […]
How to Make Hard Work Family Fun | ScreenStrong Remember when your parents told you to clean the toilet, scoop the litter box, or complete some other onerous task? When you asked why, they said, “It’s good for you!” Turns out, it was! Hard work is good for kids, in many ways. Our last blog […]
Can Doing Chores Save Your Child’s Summer? When we think of the ideal summer for our children, parents envision more time outside, fun-filled camps, relaxed time spent with family and friends, and plenty of chores. Chores? Yes, that’s right. Research tells us that our kids need chores as much as they need entertainment or educational […]
Caution! Teen Brain: Still Under Construction Even for the savviest parents, teen development can be deceiving. Our kids hit puberty and go through a growth spurt. They get taller; they get hair on their legs; they get their drivers’ licenses (hopefully), and, for the most part, they start looking like adults. But don’t let their […]
Is Video Game Addiction Real? “I just have a feeling deep down that my son has a problem with his gaming.” This is a very common comment I hear from parents as I speak to groups about video game problems in their homes. As a parent, you know that something is not quite right […]
How to Destroy Your Child’s Love for Reading Did you know that 80% of U.S. families did not buy a book last year and 33% of high school graduates never read another book for their entire life? If you are like most parents, you may struggle with getting your kids, especially your boys, to read […]
