Should Kids Have Smartphones? Rethinking Screens, Social Media, and Teens | Clare Morell, Author of The Tech Exit (Episode 331)
Smartphones, social media, and interactive screens are something many parents today are thinking carefully about, especially when it comes to their kids. In this episode, I’m joined by Clare Morrell to talk about what the research shows regarding how these technologies affect developing brains and family life. We discuss practical ways families can approach technology differently, from trying a 30-day tech detox to delaying smartphones and modeling healthier phone habits as parents. If you’re looking for thoughtful perspective and practical ideas for navigating screens in your home, this conversation will be the encouragement you need!
In this episode, we cover:
- Why smartphones and social media apps are intentionally designed to capture kids’ time, attention, and data
- The brain science behind dopamine hits and why interactive screens are uniquely addictive for children
- Why even short amounts of screen time can affect kids’ mood, focus, and behavior throughout the day
- The surprising limitations of parental controls and why they rarely give parents real oversight
- Distinguishing between passive technology (like watching a movie) and highly stimulating interactive media
- How excessive screen stimulation can dysregulate a child’s nervous system and mimic ADHD-like symptoms
- What families experience during a 30-day digital detox and the behavioral changes many notice within weeks
- Ground rules for a family tech reset, including which devices and activities are removed during detox
- Why addressing our own phone habits as parents—and modeling healthier technology boundaries—plays a critical role in helping kids succeed
- Alternative phone options that allow teens to communicate without introducing smartphone distractions
- How some families delay smartphones until late high school or adulthood and what they observe long term
- Navigating cultural pressures—from youth groups to employers—that assume every teen has a smartphone
- The bigger vision behind a “tech exit”: raising kids who prioritize real-world skills, creativity, and relationships over digital consumption
About Clare
Clare Morell is a mom, writer, speaker, and tech-policy expert helping families rethink how technology fits into everyday life. She’s a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs the Technology and Human Flourishing Project, and the author of The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones and Social Media, a book offering hopeful, practical steps for families ready to reclaim connection, curiosity, and real-world rhythms in a screen-saturated world.
Clare’s work blends research, real family experience, and commonsense encouragement to help parents feel confident creating homes where children thrive without the constant pull of screens—focusing instead on play, creativity, responsibilities, and meaningful relationships. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and their children, where her family is actively living out their own “Tech Exit” journey.
Resources Mentioned
Get your copy of Clare’s book The Tech Exit at TheTechExit.com
Explore free resources to accompany the book, including screen-free activity ideas, a group discussion guide, and a tech-exit checklist
Follow along with more resources and updates at ClareMorell.substack.com
Interested in the Wisephone mentioned in this episode? Use code CLARE for $20 off
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