Best Cynthia Dvorak Podcasts (2025)

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Parenting Teens Can Actually Be Great: Research-Backed Tools for Adolescence with Megan Saxelby 46:31

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7d ago46:31

46:31

Are you struggling to connect with your tween or teen—especially in a world dominated by screens, attitudes, and shifting moods? In this episode of Screen Less Play More, Cynthia Dvorak sits down with Megan Saxelby, adolescent expert and longtime middle school teacher, to completely reframe the way parents understand adolescence. Megan, who taught …

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Fan Favorite Replay! Help! My Kids Are Addicted to Screens! | Executive Function Expert Michael McLeod on ADHD, Tech Use, & Better Parenting Strategies 57:19

14d ago57:19

57:19

This encore episode remains one of the most replayed conversations in the Screen Less Play More vault. Are your kids addicted to screens—or does it feel like it? In this episode of Screen Less Play More, executive function specialist Michael McLeod (Grow Now ADHD) explains why screen addiction in kids, digital overload, and excessive screen time ar…

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Kids & AI: How To Keep Them Safe From Chatbots, Deepfakes, and A.I. Videos | Julia Storm of ReConnect 23:19

20d ago23:19

23:19

AI safety for kids is key, and we have what parents need to know about chatbots, deepfakes, and digital literacy. Julia Storm of ReConnect debunks the myths around artificial intelligence and gives you the digital safety conversation that every parent needs. Julia shares insights on how to guide children through the digital landscape while fosterin…

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"Hunt, Gather, Parent" | Book Bite | Why Yelling Doesn't Work & How To Get Kids To Help 9:58

1M ago9:58

9:58

So you're telling me that I'm supposed to parent like "Mister Rogers, stoned."??? Go on….. Author Michaleen Doucleff studied three ancient cultures whose children are still happy and helpful, and boiled it down to two important things. Listen in to hear the main points- because I know you're too busy stepping on Legos and driving to the store to re…

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Helping Boys Resist The Manosphere, and What The Heck Is It? | Julia Storm of ReConnect 32:48

1M ago32:48

32:48

How do we raise boys in the age of Andrew Tate and other toxic masculinity influencers? Julia Storm explains what the Manosphere is and how we can protect our kids from it. Host Cynthia Dvorak and Julia Storm discuss: The Manosphere includes various groups that promote misogynistic ideas. Influencers can subtly introduce harmful rhetoric while prov…

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The Hidden Consequences When Kids Don't Play - Pediatric OT Angela Hanscom Explains What's At Stake 40:38

2M ago40:38

40:38

What happens when kids don't get to move, climb, or play freely anymore? In this episode, Angela Hanscom, pediatric OT and author of Balanced and Barefoot, joins Screen Less Play More to talk about the developmental, emotional, and sensory toll of play deprivation — and why restoring free play may be the best thing parents can do for their children…

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Most replayed! Kids Are In A Digital Crisis - And What We Can Do | Kat Zilka of Dis/Connect 1:13:50

2M ago1:13:50

1:13:50

Kat Zilka was a high school teacher who realized that her students were in a real mental health crisis. She asked her students to write an essay about their relationship to their phones, and was shocked to read their confessions. "Honestly, if you were to read the essays and insert another substance, like alcohol or drugs into, in place of the phon…

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There's No Such Thing As Bad Weather - Rethinking Parenting With Linda Åkeson McGurk | Screen Less Play More 44:22

2M ago44:22

44:22

"Instead of doing what's best for the kids, we're doing what's easier or most practical." - Linda Åkeson McGurk In this conversation, Cynthia and Linda Akeson McGurk explore the differences in parenting styles between the US and Sweden, emphasizing the importance of outdoor play, resilience, and a connection to nature. Linda shares her experiences …

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Screen Time Battles Solved - Emily Cherkin "The Screentime Consultant" | Screen Less Play More 41:40

2M ago41:40

41:40

"EdTech Is Just Big Tech in a Sweater Vest" - Emily Cherkin Emily Cherkin is solving our screen time struggles, enlightening us about EdTech, and explaining how screens are affecting democracy! "The Screentime Consultant" is one of our most compelling guests yet. You don't want to miss! If you want even more from this episode, become a subscriber a…

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The Anxious Generation | Quick Summary of The Main Points because You Don't Have Time To Read! | Screen Less Play More 13:59

2M ago13:59

13:59

Welcome to "Book Bites" by Screen Less Play More. I know you're too busy stepping on Legos or driving to the grocery store to read a whole book. So I'm going to tell you the main takeaways of "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt. Now you can get smart, AND fold the laundry or drive to work! In Jonathan Haidt's book, he explains "How the Great…

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Talking To Kids About Porn is WAY Easier Than You Think || Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes || Screen Less Play More Episode 20 56:19

3M ago56:19

56:19

"We have decided to put the world's most brilliant software engineers in kids' pockets, and we've expected them to exert a level of self-control that you and I never had as children. It's not their fault." - Chris McKenna Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes has some incredibly insightful tips for parents. He says that having a "porn talk" with our …

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Are Playgrounds Too Safe? The Benefits of Risky Play | Rachel Ramsden | Screen Less Play More Episode 19 1:17:18

3M ago1:17:18

1:17:18

"This idea that we need to minimize risk taking or dangerous elements has really created, unfortunately, a world where there's not a lot of challenge for children. And this has a lot of negative benefits on children's health, development and well-being. Children will find challenges. And if we don't have them available in the playgrounds... then ch…

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Snapchat Thought I Was 15, What It Showed Me Was Shocking | Sarah Gallagher Trombley | Screen Less Play More Episode 18 1:09:57

4M ago1:09:57

1:09:57

If you think Snapchat is just for funny filters, think again. I made a fake Snapchat account, saying that I was a 15 year-old girl. Within less than 30 minutes, the algorithm fed me erotica, links to porn, and creepy religious fanaticism. Our guest Sarah Gallagher Trombley is a former Snapchat executive, and tells us exactly how to avoid these dang…

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The Problem With EdTech | Common Myths Debunked | Amy Tyson of EverySchool.org | Screen Less Play More episode 17 59:52

4M ago59:52

59:52

"The developers of these educational games are the same great minds that are creating recreational video games. They are experts at the compulsion loop. They are experts at keeping you hooked." - Amy Tyson Amy Tyson of EverySchool.org tells us everything you need to know about EdTech. Can EdTech really expand what teachers do? Or is it causing addi…

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How Generative AI Can Rot Your Brain, (And How To Raise A Reader) | Natalie Wexler | Screen Less Play More Episode 16 1:06:55

5M ago1:06:55

1:06:55

"The word memorization has become like a dirty word in education....It's always paired with the adjective rote. Now, rote memorization is memorizing stuff that you don't actually understand. And that's not very helpful. But memorization...is really the basis of learning," Natalie Wexler tells us. "The more information you have about a subject in lo…

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Why is play important for children? | Deb Lawrence IPA USA | Screen Less Play More Episode 15 47:42

5M ago47:42

47:42

"Think what we want the future worker to have. Think what employers tell us all the time. We want them to be able to have it take initiative. We want them to be able to cooperate and collaborate with others. We want them to be good problem solvers. We want them to have good communication skills. All that stuff you learn during play." - Deb Lawrence…

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It's time to ban phones in school | Melinda Murphy | Screen Less Play More Episode 14 52:39

5M ago52:39

52:39

"The number of places that I found kids doing drug deals over Snapchat, for example, nine to one. It didn't start with a conversation and notes being passed in English class, it started over a social media platform. And so I talk about like the dangers of social media that you don't know as a parent walking in with an 11 year old are alarming, hone…

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The Secret Science Addicting Kids to Screens | Dr. Richard Freed, author of "Better Than Real Life" | Screen Less Play More Episode 13 1:01:42

6M ago1:01:42

1:01:42

Why are kids addicted to screens? Why are kids addicted to social media and video games? Dr. Richard Freed gives us the answers, and explains step-by-step how tech companys design their apps and games to keep us on as long as possible. Silicon Valley has been methodically implementing a secret science called "persuasive design." They have figured o…

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My School Banned Phones for the Year. Here's What Happened | High School Teacher Gilbert Schuerch | Screen Less Play More episode 12 56:57

6M ago56:57

56:57

Gilbert's viral Substack article caught Jonathan Haidt's attention. Haidt said on his own "After Babel" Substack, "Today, we're sharing one of the most compelling and entertaining essays we've read on what happens when a school goes phone-free. The essay is written by Gilbert Schuerch, a veteran high school teacher in Harlem, NYC. He is also the wr…

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Help! My kids are addicted to screens | Executive function specialist Michael McLeod gives parents a better path | Episode 11 56:54

6M ago56:54

56:54

"In all my years of doing this since 2016, I have never worked with a single family that eliminated screens or significantly decreased screens and went on to regret it. Every single one of them saw a brand new child who slept better, ate better, conversed better, socialized better, did better at school," says Michael McLeod, of Grow Now ADHD. In th…

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How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids' Sports, and Why It Matters | Linda Flanagan, author of "Take Back The Game" | Screen Less Play More Episode 10 1:16:30

6M ago1:16:30

1:16:30

"Somewhere along the way, kids' sports stopped being for kids" says author and podcast guest Linda Flanagan. "Hold on, you might think. I want my kids in the game because exercise and team sports deliver virtues and advantages; they build character, promote well-being, and foster social connection'....but...Thanks to the extravagant investments in …

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Hidden dangers of Snapchat, Roblox, and group texts | Sarah Gallagher Trombley, former Snapchat exec | Screen Less Play More Episode 9 1:03:13

7M ago1:03:13

1:03:13

"No social media app, no matter how high-minded their philosophies are, they're not there to change the world and make it better. They're there to generate enough income to keep being a business." - Sarah Gallagher Trombley Former Snapchat executive and digital parenting expert Sarah Gallagher Trombley gives a fascinating interview to Cynthia Dvora…

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How do I explain AI to my child? | Donnell Probst of the National Association for Media Literacy Education | Screen Less Play More Episode 8 54:02

7M ago54:02

54:02

How do I navigate online scams? How can I tell if it's a deepfake? How can I use AI responsibly? How should we use artificial intelligence in the classroom? Media literacy is needed now more than ever! Donnell Probst has our answers. Donnell is the interim director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Welcome to the Screen Less…

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Is My Child Ready For A Phone? And your summertime tech survival guide - Andrea Davis of Better Screen Time | Screen Less Play More Episode 7 59:46

7M ago59:46

59:46

Andrea Davis has the questions you need to ask your child and yourself before giving them a smart phone or device! Have I talked to my teen about digital predators, sexting, pornography, nudes, deepfakes, gaming addiction, bullying, body image, phishing, self harm, online privacy, or artificial intelligence? (And more!) We also discuss ideas for ma…

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What kids learn through play is essential - Sally Swiatek, early childhood expert | Screen Less Play More Episode 6 1:17:57

7M ago1:17:57

1:17:57

Play is absolutely essential to the successful development of each and every child. Listen to find out what kids are learning while they play that they can't get anywhere else! Welcome to the Screen Less Play More Podcast with Cynthia Dvorak! Discover the benefits of less screen time for children and practical strategies to reduce screen use as a f…

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Tech Is Fueling Youth Suicide, 6 steps to keep your kids safe | Therapist Tessa Stuckey| Screen Less Play More Episode 5 1:02:00

8M ago1:02:00

1:02:00

In her practice, therapist Tessa Stuckey started recognizing a trend about 6 years ago. "Kids would come to me with typical life stressors, mom got mad at them, they didn't empty their dishwasher, or they made a C on a chemistry exam. Typical life stressors. But their go-to answer was always a dark, dark thought, whether that be self-harm or suicid…

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Awkward! How tech is affecting our dating, parenting, and friendships - Ty Tashiro | Screen Less Play More Episode 4 1:13:08

8M ago1:13:08

1:13:08

Tech and relationship expert Ty Tashiro talks about online dating, awkwardness, digital parenting, and what we can do to find true love in this tech age! Tech is affecting our dating, parenting, and friendships Ty Tashiro is the author of "Awkward: The Science of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome," and "The Science of Happily Ever A…

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Preparing kids for the SAT isn't as hard as you think - Charlotte Winters | Screen Less Play More episode 3 1:11:52

8M ago1:11:52

1:11:52

"What's the best way for students to prep for the SAT?" Kaplan? Princeton Review? Khan Academy? Where do I start? This episode should not be missed if you have a child in middle school or high school. Charlotte Winters has been an SAT tutor for 15 years, and teaches us that SAT prep isn't as difficult or complicated as we think it is. Our talk expl…

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How to be more engaging than the algorithm - Erin Loechner of The Opt-Out Family | Screen Less Play More Episode 2 50:57

8M ago50:57

50:57

How do I keep my kids busy? How do I keep my kids off screens? How do we reconnect as a family? What happened when Instagram changed their algorithm?! Erin Loechner has your answers! Cynthia interviews Erin Loechner, author of 'The Opt Out Family.' They discuss how to give your kids what technology can't. Erin shares her family's approach to techno…

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Why Kids Are in a Digital Crisis — How to Protect Them from Screen Addiction | Kat Zilka of DisConnect 1:13:50

8M ago1:13:50

1:13:50

In this first episode of Screen Less Play More, host Cynthia Dvorak interviews Kat Zilka of Dis/Connect to tackle a growing concern: the digital crisis children face today. We break down: The impacts of excessive screen time on kids' mental health, attention, and social development. Why smartphones, social media and gaming can be addictive — and wh…