I am jazzed to say that we just dropped a new episode of The Screenagers Podcast called Screen Time Parenting With Positive Discipline. Today’s blog contains some highlights from the episode. Whether you have a 5-year-old or a 25-year-old, I am confident you will gain something from listening to the podcast episode!
This episode of The Screenagers Podcast is an interview I did with Casey O’Roarty, a well-recognized expert in Positive Discipline, particularly tweens and teens. We also hear from a mom of three kids who explains how she parented until she discovered the Positive Discipline approach.
“I was just parenting the way I was parented. I thought it was the only way, you know, like timeouts. The parent is always in charge. The parent knows everything. And boy, my eyes were opened. Because if it wasn't for my daughter, who really didn't want any of that control? You know, like we butted heads. She challenged me. And I am so grateful for her doing that because I would not have discovered this whole new respectful, Positive Discipline.”
Listen To This Episode Here: Apple Podcasts // Spotify // Youtube // Website
Casey explains that Positive Discipline is a program developed by Jane Nelson based on Alfred Adler's psychological theories. Rather than relying on traditional rewards and consequences, Positive Discipline focuses on understanding the underlying issues behind children's behaviors. As a parent, it comes from a place of curiosity first and foremost.
In the podcast, we talk about a parent training to handle their child who has been sneaking extra video game playing. Working to have the child talk about why they are doing it prompts them to become more thoughtful about what they are doing, and the conversations allow for a stronger connection between parent and child.
Casey explains how Positive Discipline handles emotional meltdowns, such as when a child becomes upset over time limits on electronic devices. Rather than punishing or dismissing the child’s feelings, Positive Discipline encourages parents to use these moments as opportunities to teach self-regulation and to explore what the child experiences physically and emotionally during these times. This approach helps children develop greater awareness of their reactions and the situations that trigger them.
Casey addresses common parenting challenges with teens and tweens, particularly the delicate balance between being too permissive and too strict. Many parents struggle with guilt and worry about damaging the relationship when they need to be firm. Casey advocates for a compassionate approach that includes understanding the child's perspective and being open about the internal struggles parents face.
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
I became motivated to make the first Screenagers movie back in 2012. It took years to make it — and by the way — we have recently updated it. One of the main reasons to delve into the film was the personal struggles I was experiencing around parenting my kids around screen time limits.
Whenever my kids were on a device, I got triggered. Maybe they had been on it too long, or they should have been doing something else. That’s when I would react impulsively. I’d grab their device and stab them with a glare that spoke volumes. Looking back, I’m not proud of these moments.
From the start, I was aware that telling parents things like you should allow your child such and such amount of screen time was bananas! The real work was enforcing limits. I am not referring to the tool part of tech, i.e., for school, learning new things, etc. It’s the treat aspect of it — all the games, media, etc. That’s where the real struggle lies.
The Screenagers' mission revolves around working with our kids and students to achieve healthy screen use, time, content consumption, and usage habits. We help youth become critical thinkers about tech in their lives and society. It is all about fostering strong families and other relationships.
When kids come in with their parents to see me in my medical practice, I have been recommending resources to the parents for how to use Positive Discipline to help with screen time issues. I did this recently for a dad who came in with his 12-year-old son and said, “My son never wanted to do anything with me, and I don’t feel like I can push him to do things outside of video gaming and watching TV.”
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
With new videos posted every Tuesday and Friday, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel! Here's our latest videos!
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I am jazzed to say that we just dropped a new episode of The Screenagers Podcast called Screen Time Parenting With Positive Discipline. Today’s blog contains some highlights from the episode. Whether you have a 5-year-old or a 25-year-old, I am confident you will gain something from listening to the podcast episode!
This episode of The Screenagers Podcast is an interview I did with Casey O’Roarty, a well-recognized expert in Positive Discipline, particularly tweens and teens. We also hear from a mom of three kids who explains how she parented until she discovered the Positive Discipline approach.
“I was just parenting the way I was parented. I thought it was the only way, you know, like timeouts. The parent is always in charge. The parent knows everything. And boy, my eyes were opened. Because if it wasn't for my daughter, who really didn't want any of that control? You know, like we butted heads. She challenged me. And I am so grateful for her doing that because I would not have discovered this whole new respectful, Positive Discipline.”
Listen To This Episode Here: Apple Podcasts // Spotify // Youtube // Website
Casey explains that Positive Discipline is a program developed by Jane Nelson based on Alfred Adler's psychological theories. Rather than relying on traditional rewards and consequences, Positive Discipline focuses on understanding the underlying issues behind children's behaviors. As a parent, it comes from a place of curiosity first and foremost.
In the podcast, we talk about a parent training to handle their child who has been sneaking extra video game playing. Working to have the child talk about why they are doing it prompts them to become more thoughtful about what they are doing, and the conversations allow for a stronger connection between parent and child.
Casey explains how Positive Discipline handles emotional meltdowns, such as when a child becomes upset over time limits on electronic devices. Rather than punishing or dismissing the child’s feelings, Positive Discipline encourages parents to use these moments as opportunities to teach self-regulation and to explore what the child experiences physically and emotionally during these times. This approach helps children develop greater awareness of their reactions and the situations that trigger them.
Casey addresses common parenting challenges with teens and tweens, particularly the delicate balance between being too permissive and too strict. Many parents struggle with guilt and worry about damaging the relationship when they need to be firm. Casey advocates for a compassionate approach that includes understanding the child's perspective and being open about the internal struggles parents face.
I became motivated to make the first Screenagers movie back in 2012. It took years to make it — and by the way — we have recently updated it. One of the main reasons to delve into the film was the personal struggles I was experiencing around parenting my kids around screen time limits.
Whenever my kids were on a device, I got triggered. Maybe they had been on it too long, or they should have been doing something else. That’s when I would react impulsively. I’d grab their device and stab them with a glare that spoke volumes. Looking back, I’m not proud of these moments.
From the start, I was aware that telling parents things like you should allow your child such and such amount of screen time was bananas! The real work was enforcing limits. I am not referring to the tool part of tech, i.e., for school, learning new things, etc. It’s the treat aspect of it — all the games, media, etc. That’s where the real struggle lies.
The Screenagers' mission revolves around working with our kids and students to achieve healthy screen use, time, content consumption, and usage habits. We help youth become critical thinkers about tech in their lives and society. It is all about fostering strong families and other relationships.
When kids come in with their parents to see me in my medical practice, I have been recommending resources to the parents for how to use Positive Discipline to help with screen time issues. I did this recently for a dad who came in with his 12-year-old son and said, “My son never wanted to do anything with me, and I don’t feel like I can push him to do things outside of video gaming and watching TV.”
With new videos posted every Tuesday and Friday, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel! Here's our latest videos!
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I am jazzed to say that we just dropped a new episode of The Screenagers Podcast called Screen Time Parenting With Positive Discipline. Today’s blog contains some highlights from the episode. Whether you have a 5-year-old or a 25-year-old, I am confident you will gain something from listening to the podcast episode!
This episode of The Screenagers Podcast is an interview I did with Casey O’Roarty, a well-recognized expert in Positive Discipline, particularly tweens and teens. We also hear from a mom of three kids who explains how she parented until she discovered the Positive Discipline approach.
“I was just parenting the way I was parented. I thought it was the only way, you know, like timeouts. The parent is always in charge. The parent knows everything. And boy, my eyes were opened. Because if it wasn't for my daughter, who really didn't want any of that control? You know, like we butted heads. She challenged me. And I am so grateful for her doing that because I would not have discovered this whole new respectful, Positive Discipline.”
Listen To This Episode Here: Apple Podcasts // Spotify // Youtube // Website
Casey explains that Positive Discipline is a program developed by Jane Nelson based on Alfred Adler's psychological theories. Rather than relying on traditional rewards and consequences, Positive Discipline focuses on understanding the underlying issues behind children's behaviors. As a parent, it comes from a place of curiosity first and foremost.
In the podcast, we talk about a parent training to handle their child who has been sneaking extra video game playing. Working to have the child talk about why they are doing it prompts them to become more thoughtful about what they are doing, and the conversations allow for a stronger connection between parent and child.
Casey explains how Positive Discipline handles emotional meltdowns, such as when a child becomes upset over time limits on electronic devices. Rather than punishing or dismissing the child’s feelings, Positive Discipline encourages parents to use these moments as opportunities to teach self-regulation and to explore what the child experiences physically and emotionally during these times. This approach helps children develop greater awareness of their reactions and the situations that trigger them.
Casey addresses common parenting challenges with teens and tweens, particularly the delicate balance between being too permissive and too strict. Many parents struggle with guilt and worry about damaging the relationship when they need to be firm. Casey advocates for a compassionate approach that includes understanding the child's perspective and being open about the internal struggles parents face.
Thoughtful family tech rules help protect kids’ wellbeing, learning, and sleep while strengthening connection at home. Using the fresh start of a new year, this post shares eight practical tech habits families can discuss and adapt together, including shared social media check-ins, screen time inventories, device-free meals, regular gaming breaks, and keeping phones out of bedrooms at night.
READ MORE >
Psychologist Jean Twenge explains how parental controls can support healthier tech use by protecting sleep, limiting late night device access, and reducing kids’ exposure to content they are not developmentally ready to handle. She discusses why third party parental control tools are often more effective and easier to use than built in options, while acknowledging that no system is perfect. Clear boundaries, combined with technology based limits, can reduce ongoing conflict and make screen time rules easier to enforce.
READ MORE >
for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
