What Are Screens Replacing? Regulating Screen Time Series

Hey there! Who was able to do the technology fast alonside my family and I last week!? If you took a break and would like to share how it went, please reach out to me @ www.katelynmabry.com so I can hear about your journey too! If you aren't sure what I am talking about, take a look at episode 252 and consider taking some sort of screen time fast that would fit your family best as a means of resetting and then revisiting what tech time looks like each day...

Meanwhile, have you ever wondered WHY screens feel SO hard to put down? In this episode, we explore a differnt way of thinking about screen time. Sometimes screens aren't just entertainment- they become a safe place when something in life feels difficult! It's super important to raise self-awareness of this truth, so that you can best respond to it!

Using the metaphor of a fort, we will talk about how kids may retreat into screens when they are feeling lonely, socially stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted, or trying to avoid difficult emotions. When we can name it, then we can tame it and reframe it! We will also explore whey screens can feel especially comforting for ADHD brains and how curiosity can help us better understand our needs.

Shed any shame of "too much screen time makes me bad" and instead ask, "what is my screen time helping me with right now and how can I respond to it in a different, healthier way!?" 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

• Why screens can feel like a safe hiding spot.
• How lonliness, stress, and overwhelm can increase screen use
• Why ADHD brains are often drawn to screens
• Questions to help you understand what your brain really needs
• How to build support on and off screens

Key takeaway: The goal isn't to get rid of the fort- it's to make the world outside of the fort feel safer too! 

As you are exploring a new normal with regulating healthy amounts of screen time, make sure you check out our June sponsor, Story Mii @ www.storymii.com where your child's imagination will be brought to life with these AI generated stories!! Creativity is ignited and characters are created to come up with a one of a kind story that your kiddos will fall back in love with reading! And if you have summer reading to do, this is a great tool to use that also has the capacity to create quizzes for comprehension and kids can even interact to build off of each other's story creations!! My kids love it and I know it will ignite a newfound love for reading in your kids too! 

I look forward to being with you next week! Have a blessed day! Love you all!