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Episode 250: Resetting Screentime for School. Plus, are Movies Like ‘Beetlejuice’ Bad?

LISTEN TO THE PLUGGED IN SHOW, EPISODE 250

Summer is a time to relax. A time to unwind. A time to … let your kids’ screen use get a little out of hand?

Well, not ideally. But in many families, summertime can be screentime, too. Big movies are playing at the multiplex. Kids have time to scroll through their social media feeds ever-so-much more. In the summer, TikTok reigns supreme.

But now that school’s back in session, getting that screentime back under control can be a challenge. What’s a parent to do?

Listen to The Plugged In Show, of course! I talk with Emily Tsiao and Jonathan McKee about getting kids and teens back on track in terms of their screen usage, and we offer some thoughts about why it’s important.

And then we turn our attention to the big screen ourselves—and to the big movie of the week, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Given that its titular star is a “trickster demon,” should parents take some extra-special care in deciding whether to see it or not? And for that matter, how should parents think about these supernaturally tinged comedies overall? We dive into that conversation, too.

And then, in honor of our 250th episode, we offer an extra-special treat: bloopers. And far too many of them include me.

Yep, it’s a pretty full episode. And when you’re done listening, start talking. Chime in with your own thoughts on Facebook and Instagram. Leave us a voicemail at The Plugged In Show homepage. Send us an email at [email protected]. Just don’t say the name of the show three times: You never know what might happen.

paul-asay
Paul Asay

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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