How to Keep Tweens and Teens Safe Online - Without Tracking, Over-Monitoring, or Killing Independence | Parenting Coach Megan Saxelby

How do you keep tweens and teens safe online without tracking their every move or destroying trust? Parenting coach Megan Saxelby joins us to talk about online safety, managing gaming and social media, and why kids need real connection, independence, free play, and the freedom to get dirty to grow into resilient teens. Megan is so funny and relatable, and gives us parents actionable ideas to manage gaming at home, how to implement screen time boundaries, and keep kids safe on social media - without massive fights! She really emphasizes honesty and connection when implementing online safety for tweens and teens. (And she has some hilarious stories from her childhood. Her parents sound like the best!) We discuss how much kids need free play and independence, and that tracking kids is not the answer. Kids need time on their own to build resilence and grit!  You can learn more about Megan Saxelby and her company Wild Feelings at wildfeelings.co and her Substack https://wildfeelings.substack.com/ Megan, who taught middle school for 17 years, believes middle schoolers are the greatest humans alive. She shares why the cultural narrative around tweens and teens is so often wrong—and what parents can do instead to build stronger, more joyful, more resilient connections. Together, host Cynthia Dvorak and Megan dive into: ✨ the power of play in parenting teens ✨ why adolescent behavior is developmentally appropriate, not defiance ✨ how to respond when kids make mistakes in a way that preserves mental health ✨ the real impact of technology on the teen brain ✨ Parenting strategies of how parents can stay connected—even when teens push them away ✨ why YOU are the subject-matter expert on your son or daughter or non-binary LGBTQ+ child. More about Screen Less Play More, the best parenting podcast about play and tech at: https://screenlessplaymore.com/ https://substack.com/@screenlessplaymore?utm_source=user-menu Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ScreenLessPlayMore Welcome to the Screen Less Play More podcast — your go-to parenting show for raising balanced, confident kids in the digital age by reducing screen time, managing gaming and social media, and restoring play-based childhoods. Hosted by Cynthia Dvorak of ScreenLessPlayMore.com, we share expert advice and research-backed strategies to help parents create healthy screen habits, set realistic tech boundaries, and build stronger family connection without constant monitoring or power struggles. Each episode gives you practical tools for screen time battles, online safety for kids, age-appropriate digital limits, and the benefits of free play, outdoor play, and imaginative play so your children can thrive both online and offline. If you want a great gift for your tween to teach them about healthy tech habits, checkout the new book by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price called "The Amazing Generation!" https://screenlessplaymore.com/the-amazing-generation-is-the-anxious-generation-for-kids/ Thanks for listening! If you click "follow" you'll make sure to never miss an episode!