Screens Are Not the Enemy with Leslie Tyler

Screens Are Not the Enemy with Leslie Tyler

June 30, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 160

About this episode

The episode discusses the complexities of children's use of screens and the guidance parents need to provide.

Screens are not going anywhere, which means our kids need more than rules. They need guidance. I'll be honest. This is one of those topics where people tend to have feelings. Big ones. And fair enough. Screens can be a mess. They can also be useful, regulating, connecting, necessary, and sometimes genuinely helpful, especially for neurodivergent kids. So I was glad to have this conversation with Leslie Tyler from Pinwheel because we got to stay in the nuance. Leslie is Head of Parent Education at Pinwheel, a company that makes devices designed for kids and managed by parents. We name that right away in the episode because yes, Pinwheel sells devices. And also, this conversation is not really about one product. It is about the questions parents need to ask before a device shows up in the house. What is this device for? Is it about safety? Transportation? After-school coordination? Social connection? Learning support? Independence? Because those are not all the same thing, and they do not require the same plan. We also talk about why there is no magic age when a child is suddenly "ready" for a phone. That answer is probably less satisfying than any of us would like. It would be…

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