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, Founder of ScreenStrong 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.…
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…
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…