Michael Rich, author of The Mediatrician’s Guide, joins us to explain why we must move beyond fear of “screen time” to have more nuanced conversations with teens about finding balance, meaning and ethics in their digital lives.If you've enjoyed Talking to Teens, we'd love if you could leave us a five-star rating, and if you have time, a review! Full Show NotesTeens today have never known a world without smartphones, social media, and round-the-clock internet access. As digital devices become more and more ingrained into every aspect of their lives, it's only natural for parents to worry about the impact all this technology might have.We often hear panicked stories about social media causing depression or video game addiction destroying kids' attention spans. It makes us want to snatch the screens out of teens' hands completely! But is going cold turkey really the best approach?To help parents navigate the digital age, we're talking to Dr. Michael Rich, an expert on kids and media. Dr. Rich is an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and the founder and director of the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders at Boston Children’s Hospital.He's also the author of a new book called The Mediatrician’s Guide: A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, Kind Kids in a Screen Saturated World. As both a pediatrician and a former filmmaker, Dr. Rich has a unique perspective on why we should move past fear-based thinking when it comes to kids and technology.Rethinking "Screen Time"Trying to simply limit screen time is an outdated way of thinking, says Dr. Rich. Screens are so embedded into every part of life that trying to quantify daily use is irrelevant. Instead of counting minutes spent staring at a device, Dr. Rich encourages intentionality. This means being mindful, balanced and present in how we interact with technology.Dr. Rich coins these practices the “killer B’s.” Being mindful means understanding how device use displaces other activities, while being balanced means taking regular screen breaks. Most importantly, being present while using devices prevents us from missing out on real world connections. Trying to upgrade from texting to calling to in-person interactions is key.Looking Below Problematic BehaviorsIt’s easy to blame devices themselves for issues like addiction or bullying. However, Dr. Rich explains that problematic digital behaviors are usually symptoms of underlying issues like ADHD, anxiety, depression or autism spectrum disorders. Taking away teens’ access without addressing root causes may make problems worse.Dr. Rich notes that teens often see their devices as tools that help them cope with or avoid difficulties in their lives. Complete removal can heighten their distress. Instead, identifying and properly treating adolescents’ mental health is key to curbing unhealthy digital habits.Fostering Digital WellnessRather than seeing devices as inherently bad, Dr. Rich focuses on how we can use them for good. Social platforms and interactive games actually have huge potential for building community, creativity and emotional skills.However, teens need guidance on using digital spaces ethically. Dr. Rich encourages parents to model intentional digital wellness and have open conversations about pitfalls like compare/despair thinking or internet rabbit holes. Promoting self-awareness and balance helps teens build healthy lifelong technology habits.Follow us on Social Media! We're @talkingtoteens on Instagram and TikTok

Margo is joined by Sarah Walsh for part two of their heartfelt conversation where they discuss finding inspiration, committing time and energy to yourself, slowing down, and her Domestika class amongst more. Sarah is an illustrator, painter and designer with home goods, children's books, socially conscious based projects, nature and loves tapping into mystical subject matter as the mainstays of her work. She is also the co-proprietor of the illustrative product based brand Tigersheep Friends. She collects books, new and old, plants, adores folk art and also loves cooking, thrifting, listening to records, haunting coffee shops with her sketchbook and spending time with her favorite humans.   Listen to Part 1 with Sarah and Margo   Connect with Sarah www.sarahwalshmakesthings.com https://www.etsy.com/shop/Tigersheepfriends www.instagram.com/sarahwalshmakesthings Learn more and sign up for the ‘From Line to Color’ Art Retreat   Get notified about Patreon episodes, workshops, and other events

Margo is joined by former teacher & blogger turned entrepreneur, Anna Huff. As a business empowerment coach, Anna works to empower women to pursue their passions and live in authentic alignment with who they were divinely designed to be. Determined to make a difference, but burnt out and struggling to find alignment, for years, Anna played small. Thinking that if she just did more, worked harder, learned more, and achieved more she would find what she was looking for. What she discovered was that nothing she could ever do, earn, or say would make her any more worthy of becoming who she was divinely designed to be. That, in fact, it wasn’t about becoming anything at all. But rather, Unbecoming. Which was how she developed her coaching philosophy of Unbecoming, the work of peeling back the layers of who you have had to be in order to reveal who you were divinely designed to be.    Margo and Anna discuss: Her career path and listening to the things that excite and light her up The importance in recognizing our lifelong evolution How our thoughts and feelings are intertwined What it means to be in authentic alignment and how she helps others get there Her top tips for someone feeling stuck The Unbecoming framework Therapy vs coaching and understanding the difference How to figure out what’s keeping you stuck And more!    Connect with Anna: www.instagra.com/theannahuff www.facebook.com/theannahuff www.theannahuff.com