Are We Asking the Wrong Question About Screen Time?
How to build your personal brand, approach screen time with your kids, nurture trust, and navigate winter without losing yourself.
As we settle back into routine after a blessed Thanksgiving, we want to offer you insights from our guests from this past month that will support your healing, shift unhelpful patterns, and bring renewed energy into the winter months ahead. Here are some ideas worth considering…
What if building a personal brand doesn’t require loudness, but instead in a way that you embrace your strengths as an introvert and finally feel seen in an authentic way?
If you’re a parent, what if the question isn’t “How much screen time is too much?” but “How can we use screens with more compassion, balance, and science-backed understanding for our kids and ourselves?”
If trust is broken, think about what is actually happening under the surface, and is there a clearer path to repairing trust in relationships than what we’ve been led to believe?
If the winter season feels heavy for you, what mindset shifts could help you not just “get through it,” but actually thrive and enjoy it?
With the holiday season ramping up and 2026 approaching, this is the perfect moment to check in with yourself, reset your mind, and refuel your emotional toolkit. Jump into the POTC episodes you missed this month, and perhaps you’ll carry something valuable into the new year.
Recent Episodes
432. Personal Branding for Introverts with Goldie Chan
Authenticity in your personal brand means sharing parts of yourself that will resonate emotionally and intellectually, without overexposing or draining your energy. Set healthy boundaries about what and how much you share, balancing your personal stories, personality, and interests to create a consistent, engaging, and sustainable presence.
433. Rethinking Screens and Video Games with Ash Brandin
Instead of blaming screens, focus on the underlying need your child is meeting, like feeling in control, competent, or creative, and find multiple ways to satisfy it. This will help them see that their strengths are not limited to one activity, whether it is Minecraft, soccer, or building, and will encourage healthier, more balanced ways to grow and explore.
434. How Trust Works with Peter H. Kim
When conversations feel stuck because values are clashing, start by acknowledging the other person’s concerns as legitimate instead of dismissing them. Then try asking questions to explore how both sets of values can be honored, framing it as a shared problem to solve, as opposed to a battle to win.
435. How to Winter with Kari Leibowitz
If winter leaves you feeling blue, try experimenting with what feels good for you, whether it is low, intentional lighting to turn darkness into coziness or dressing properly for the weather so you can enjoy the outdoors comfortably. Try one approach for a week or two, notice how it makes you feel, and keep what works to create a winter that supports your wellbeing and energy.
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👩❤️👩 Yael Schonbrun
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✨ Coming Soon on the Podcast
As we kick off December, we’re excited to highlight the final episodes of the year.
We’ll start with an important conversation with activist Chanel Contos on how we should be rethinking consent, confronting sexual violence, and fostering empathy in young people.
From there, Diana Hill joins us back on POTC to tap into practical, science-backed tools to protect your energy, feel less drained, and reconnect with your natural strengths.
We then move into a chat with Michael Hallsworth to unpack why hypocrisy is a natural part of being human and how understanding it can also help you navigate relationships and your own inconsistencies with more clarity and compassion.
We’ll then pause with a special co-host episode on reflection and creativity to help you enter January with intention.
And finally, we will close 2025 with Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, where we talk about how creativity shapes our lives and work, offering practical insights on overcoming blocks, managing emotions, and turning ideas into meaningful action.
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❤️ Debbie, Emily, Jill, Michael, & Yael
This perspective feels especially relevant for early educators and families. In ECE, we see every day that the question isn’t simply how much screen time children get, it’s why and how screens are showing up in their lives. When we shift the conversation toward understanding the needs behind a child’s engagement, curiosity, connection, challenge, or even emotional regulation, we can partner with families to support a balanced, intentional use that aligns with developmental goals. This approach honors children as whole learners and empowers caregivers to make choices based on purpose and relationships, not fear. Thanks for reframing the question in a way that supports thoughtful, human-centered decisions for kids and adults alike.”