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The Plugged In Show, Episode 92: This Is Your Brain on Screens

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LISTEN TO THE PLUGGED IN SHOW, EPISODE 92

“This is your brain,” a man says, holding up an eggs. “This is drugs,” he adds, holding up a frying pan. A dramatic flourish later, he cracks the egg into the pan, where it immediately begins to sizzle. “This is your brain on drugs,” he intones somberly.

Anyone who was around in the late ‘80s will recognize my summary of that iconic PSA. Was it over the top? Yup. Did it deliver its message of warning effectively? You bet it did.

Drugs are still around, of course. But these days, we hear a lot about the potentially harmful effects of too much screen time on the brains of those glued to them—especially when it comes to children whose minds are still developing.

So are screens really that bad? Do they “fry” our brains? Why, exactly, are so many experts sounding the alarm when it comes to too much screen time?

This week on The Plugged In Show, we’ve invited Focus on the Family Vice President of Parenting Dr. Danny Huerta to spend some time helping us think about those questions.

We’ll also be talking about the new animated series Marvel’s What If … ? on Disney+, as well as giving you another week of our rollicking Culture Countdown. So take a listen to this week’s show, and be sure to check out the links below related to this week’s conversation.

  • Interaction questions: How have you dealt with screens in your family? Is there a specific strategy for setting limits that’s worked for your kids? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram.
adam-holz
Adam R. Holz

After serving as an associate editor at NavPress’ Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In’s reviews as the site’s director. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. In their free time, the Holzes enjoy playing games, a variety of musical instruments, swimming and … watching movies.