Whether you are headed off on vacation journeys or just spending time at home during the holidays, I have some mind-opening podcast suggestions to listen to with the whole family. It can be fun to listen to only parts of any of these suggestions to allow more time for talking and then finish them at the next drive or sitting.
This recommendation came from a spunky podcast creator in her mid-20s who said this was her favorite-ever podcast series. Produced by Jad Abumrad, the mind behind RadioLab, Dolly Parton’s America is like comfort food for the soul. Her voice melts like butter as she tells stories about her life and experiences in the 9-part series. Her attitude towards her experiences is the real shining star throughout the series.
I found gold in all the episodes. My favorite, though, is the third. It’s about Dolly’s time working on a TV show with Porter Wagoner, a country singer famous in the late 1960s and ‘70s. What struck me most was when she spoke about deciding to leave the show and go out on her own. When Dolly says, “Forgiveness is all there is,” your heart will surely miss a beat as it did mine.
In an era of fake news, young, growing minds need to be able to determine what’s true and what’s false. Each week, a kid interviews two experts on a particular topic, one of whom is a genuine, credentialed expert, the other a liar. Hilarious and fast-paced, the show teaches kids to ask insightful questions, weigh the evidence before them, and trust their gut.
I listened to Episode 216, called “YouTube.” Skip the first part and start five minutes in. There are hundreds of topics to choose from, such as Minecraft, chocolate, robots, drones, and nutrition.
I always ask my kids what they are listening to, and Tessa highly recommended Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain on Apple or Spotify. Emma, who rose to fame as a YouTuber, is not surprisingly crushing it as a podcaster. She tells it like it is.
Episodes I recommend listening to with teens (and be forewarned she does swear at times) include:
Emma’s journey with vaping and reasons she wants to quit, plus the follow-up she recorded discussing how hard it has been to quit.
I also really loved her interview with Anna Lembke. I was jazzed that she chose to have the author of Dopamine Nation for her first interview-style podcast (normally, she is just speaking to the audience). I went to medical school with Anna, and she is in our latest Screenagers film, Screenagers Under the Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age. Tessa told me about this episode and raved about how much she liked it.
I just listened to a chunk of Emma’s interview about how to handle embarrassment. Getting mental health skills is a focus of Screenagers Next Chapter, so this episode is right up my alley of what I want teens to hear about. I suggest using it as a way to talk about how you handle yourself when you feel the sensation of embarrassment arises within you.
In this episode, Adam interviews Julie and John Gottman. The Gottmans are experts in the field of relationships. You may have heard of the Love Lab. In the interview, they talk about how masters of relationships work hard to point out positives in others. Focusing on the positive more than the negatives is a good reminder for all of us who are parents. I loved spending the afternoon with the Gottmans when I filmed them for Screenagers Next Chapter. Their advice is priceless. We just released a new clip from our interview with the Gottmans on our YouTube channel:
This is an excellent Podcast by a long-time friend and deep thinker, Elizabeth Pearson Garr. She talks to people about what it’s like to live through a wide variety of experiences, from being on a reality TV show to living with grief. The episode, What It’s Like to Start a College, is one of my favorites to listen to with your teens. Adam Braus started a new college and talked about his experiences. I highly recommend it.
Episode: Nov 10, The alleged theft at the heart of ChatGPT.
This episode begins with author Douglas Preston realizing his book is part of the makeup of ChatGPT. At first, he was flattered, but then went on to be angry about and in the podcast, he explains why he and 15 other authors are suing ChatGPT. It is a fantastic way to delve into some of the ethical issues surrounding our AI revolution.
My son Chase recommended this podcast series to me. The episode I recommend is called Is There a Sane Way to Use the Internet — it is a bit heady, so this one may be best suited for your older teenagers. Ezra Klein, one of today’s greatest thinkers, is interviewed and talks about why he and millions of others have abandoned using X (formally Twitter), something I was very glad to hear.
Through interviews with researchers, thought leaders, and young people, The Screenagers Podcast delivers the latest in science and practical tips you can use. Most episodes are geared for parents, kids, and teens to listen to and spark common ground for inspired conversations. Two episodes will be released every month. Many are short, no longer than 20 minutes, and are all meant to be listened to with the entire family.
This week, we have a new episode titled: “A Teen Run Instagram Account Shook a School and the Lessons Learned: An Interview with author Dashka Slater.”
In this episode, I interview journalist Dashka Slater about her new book, Accountable, where she writes about the true story of a social media account run by a small group of teens who posted racist and sexist memes. The account spread quickly, and as it grew, the content grew more disturbing. The book follows the social media account’s profound effect on the teens who created it, their friends, and the entire high school community. In my interview with Slater, I dive into issues like online racism, the difference between guilt and shame, and transformative justice. I also share advice for parents and teens on dealing with the repercussions of online racism and the complexities of forgiveness and empathy.
Listen here on our website, at Apple Podcasts or on Spotify
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*This is a 10 minute preview of our latest podcast episode. Click the links above for the full episode.
Whether you are headed off on vacation journeys or just spending time at home during the holidays, I have some mind-opening podcast suggestions to listen to with the whole family. It can be fun to listen to only parts of any of these suggestions to allow more time for talking and then finish them at the next drive or sitting.
This recommendation came from a spunky podcast creator in her mid-20s who said this was her favorite-ever podcast series. Produced by Jad Abumrad, the mind behind RadioLab, Dolly Parton’s America is like comfort food for the soul. Her voice melts like butter as she tells stories about her life and experiences in the 9-part series. Her attitude towards her experiences is the real shining star throughout the series.
I found gold in all the episodes. My favorite, though, is the third. It’s about Dolly’s time working on a TV show with Porter Wagoner, a country singer famous in the late 1960s and ‘70s. What struck me most was when she spoke about deciding to leave the show and go out on her own. When Dolly says, “Forgiveness is all there is,” your heart will surely miss a beat as it did mine.
In an era of fake news, young, growing minds need to be able to determine what’s true and what’s false. Each week, a kid interviews two experts on a particular topic, one of whom is a genuine, credentialed expert, the other a liar. Hilarious and fast-paced, the show teaches kids to ask insightful questions, weigh the evidence before them, and trust their gut.
I listened to Episode 216, called “YouTube.” Skip the first part and start five minutes in. There are hundreds of topics to choose from, such as Minecraft, chocolate, robots, drones, and nutrition.
I always ask my kids what they are listening to, and Tessa highly recommended Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain on Apple or Spotify. Emma, who rose to fame as a YouTuber, is not surprisingly crushing it as a podcaster. She tells it like it is.
Episodes I recommend listening to with teens (and be forewarned she does swear at times) include:
Emma’s journey with vaping and reasons she wants to quit, plus the follow-up she recorded discussing how hard it has been to quit.
I also really loved her interview with Anna Lembke. I was jazzed that she chose to have the author of Dopamine Nation for her first interview-style podcast (normally, she is just speaking to the audience). I went to medical school with Anna, and she is in our latest Screenagers film, Screenagers Under the Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age. Tessa told me about this episode and raved about how much she liked it.
I just listened to a chunk of Emma’s interview about how to handle embarrassment. Getting mental health skills is a focus of Screenagers Next Chapter, so this episode is right up my alley of what I want teens to hear about. I suggest using it as a way to talk about how you handle yourself when you feel the sensation of embarrassment arises within you.
In this episode, Adam interviews Julie and John Gottman. The Gottmans are experts in the field of relationships. You may have heard of the Love Lab. In the interview, they talk about how masters of relationships work hard to point out positives in others. Focusing on the positive more than the negatives is a good reminder for all of us who are parents. I loved spending the afternoon with the Gottmans when I filmed them for Screenagers Next Chapter. Their advice is priceless. We just released a new clip from our interview with the Gottmans on our YouTube channel:
I have ten podcast recommendations today. These episodes focus on family and tech—surprise, surprise! Similar to past recommendations, I am particularly focused on episodes of shows I think will be wonderful to listen to with youth. You can pre-listen, find a section you like, and ask your kiddo to do a 7-minute post-dinner listening session on the couch.
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We put together a list of 7 compelling documentaries perfect for family viewing over the Holidays. The films will help spark meaningful conversations. Check trailers and ratings for appropriateness when selecting documentaries to enjoy with your kids.
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With summer in full swing, it's the perfect opportunity to catch up on any of my Screenagers’ Tech Talk Tuesdays you may have missed (I know today is Wednesday, not Tuesday, but I wanted to respect the holiday). During the school year, there are scores of obligations to attend to. Hopefully, things have slowed a bit, and you can grab a glass of iced tea and read from this curated list of my most-read blog posts from the last 12 months.
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.
