Emily Cherkin & Sylvie

🎙️ Raising Screen-Conscious Kids in a Digital Worldwith Emily Cherkin & her daughter, SylvieIn this episode of Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect, Kathleen Barlow sits down with Emily Cherkin, also known as “The Screen Time Consultant”, and her daughter Sylvie for a candid conversation about growing up with intentional tech boundaries.Emily Cherkin is a nationally recognized screen time expert, educator, and advocate for intentional technology use. Known as “The Screen Time Consultant,” she is a former middle school teacher whose work has been featured in major outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post. She has also addressed both the U.S. Senate and British Parliament on issues related to screen time and education technology.Together, they explore how technology is shaping childhood, education, and relationships, and what families can do about it.💡 Key TakeawaysHow screen use in schools has changed and what’s being lostWhat it’s actually like to grow up without a smartphoneThe social dynamics of being “the kid without a phone”How group chats, social media, and constant access impact teensThe benefits of phone-free schools and device boundariesPractical ways parents can model healthy tech habitsKids don’t necessarily feel deprived without smartphones, but they do feel differentPaper-based learning still offers cognitive benefits that screens can’t replaceBoundaries work best when they’re consistent, modeled, and values-based🔗 Resources & LinksEmily Cherkin🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thescreentimeconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠🐟 Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://firstfish.substack.com⁠⁠⁠📘 Book: The Screen Time SolutionKathleen Barlow🐠 ⁠https://swimmingupscreen.com⁠⚡️ ⁠https://smartphonefreechildhoodus.com⁠🧑‍🧑‍🧒 ⁠https://childfirstpolicycenter.org⁠🎧 Enjoying the Podcast?Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect explores how reducing screen time can help us live more connected, intentional lives—featuring conversations with Gen Z voices, parents, and experts leading the movement.If you found this episode helpful, be sure to follow/subscribe, rate, and review Gen Free: Unplugging to Connect on Apple and Spotify.Sharing the show with a friend or family member helps grow this conversation and supports more families in creating intentional, connected lives beyond screens. 🧡