Michelle Mitchell

Wildlings & Screen Sanity AU | The antidote we already have: Nature

If you ever felt that taking your children outside instantly changes the atmosphere of your home, you are not imagining it. Something shifts. The arguing softens. The screens lose their pull. The day feels lighter. In this episode of the Screen Sanity Podcast, we sit down with Nikki Farrell, co founder of Wildlings Forest School, to talk about something beautifully simple and deeply powerful: Nature. Wildlings has been running for nine years here in Australia, creating space for children to play freely outdoors. What began as an accidental discovery at a playgroup has grown into a movement helping families rediscover something we all intuitively know but often forget. Children are meant to move and roam. Children are meant to take risks. Children are meant to get muddy. Children are meant to be outside. Together we explore: * Why outdoor play regulates behaviour and improves focus * How over scheduling and over supervising is shrinking childhood * The truth about weather * Why discomfort actually builds resilience * How nature supports mental health for children and parents * Practical ways families can build outdoor rhythms into busy weeks * Why imprinting a love of nature in childhood matters long term

Michelle Mitchell

On the first Aussie episode of our podcast, Co-Founder of Screen Sanity Australia and host, Mackenzie Forrester sits down with the award-winning speaker, and bestselling parenting author, Michelle Mitchell. In this episode, they discuss how they hope to encourage families to reexamine the ways kids and parents interact with technology. They also talk about real-life examples of the challenges parents face when introducing technology and apps, and in particular, how to talk to your kids when they’ve overstepped a boundary or had a bad experience online. The Screen Sanity Podcast is Produced by Hayley McKew.

Cara Bohon

On this episode of Screen Sanity, we begin with Krista Boan sharing a little about our organization’s name change — from START to Screen Sanity.  Then, she’s joined by Cara Bohan. Cara is the Vice President of Clinical Programs at Equip, a treatment center for families facing eating disorders. They talk about the pressure the digital world applies on our kids related to body image. They talk about unrealistic expectations, important conversations parents can initiate, and what Cara has learned in her 15 years as a researcher and clinician about caring for those suffering from serious body image disorders.  The Screen Sanity Podcast is Produced by Krista Boan. Audio Production by Cosper Productions

Heath Wilson and Joey Odom

Like so many of us, Heath Wilson and Joey Odom have experienced the challenges of life with screens. Addictive games and clever algorithms keep drawing us back to our smartphones and away from the people, projects, and work that matters far more than our distractions. That struggle led them to create Aro [http://www.goaro.com], a new platform blending analog and digital technology to make it easier than ever to put our phones down and experience life uninterrupted.  On this episode of Screen Sanity, START [https://www.westartnow.org/] co-founder Krista Boan sits down with Heath and Joey to talk about what led to the creation of Aro, how they hope it affects user’s lives, and what they’ve experienced already since incorporating more time away from their phones into their lives.  It’s a great discussion that points all of us towards one of START’s big-picture values — that parents start with themselves, adjusting their own absorption in technology and modeling something better for their kids.  Screen Sanity is executive produced and hosted by Krista Boan. It’s produced, edited, and mixed by  Mike Cosper [https://mikecosper.net/]

Chris McKenna

One of the first questions parents ask when they buy their child a smartphone is, “How do I keep them safe? What are the tools? What are the apps? How do I know what they’re getting into?” These questions have been top-of-mind for START co-founder Krista Boan, as she continues to navigate the introduction of a smartphone into her own child’s life. Today on the podcast, she’s joined by Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes. He’s a regular voice in news and commentary about digital safety for children and families, and an expert on the tools, resources, and trends that are shaping online life for the next generation.  Join Krista and Chris for this conversation about the steps parents can take, the layers of protection available, and the ways that different apps and filters provide different kinds of protection.    Screen Sanity is Executive Produced by Krista Boan and START. [http://www.westartnow.org/] It is produced and edited by Mike Cosper for Cosper Productions. [http://www.cosperproductions.com/]