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[Podcast # 283] Exploring the Relationship between Kids and Tech with Ash Brandin
Do you feel overwhelmed navigating screens, gaming, and tech in your home? You’re not alone.
In this Braver Writer podcast episode, we explore how to shift from blame to curiosity when it comes to your child’s digital life. Ash Brandin, a middle school teacher and the voice behind The Gamer Educator, joins us to talk about the real reasons kids love screens—and how we can use those insights to build stronger connections and more balanced relationships with technology.
We discuss:
- the root causes behind tech reliance,
- how to help kids develop digital literacy,
- and why empathy and structure matter more than screen limits alone.
Tune in for a refreshing, realistic take on managing tech in a way that benefits the whole family.
Show Notes
There’s no denying it—technology is embedded in our lives and in our homes. From smartphones to video games, the digital world is not just something our kids use; it’s something they live in. Yet many parents still carry anxiety about how screen time affects childhood, learning, and relationships.
We believe it’s time to shift the conversation.
Rather than defaulting to fear, what if we asked more curious questions about the role of tech in our families? We’re not talking about blindly embracing every app and device, but rather acknowledging that screens are often used to meet real needs—by both kids and adults.
A child watching TV while a parent cooks dinner is not a failure of parenting; it’s a reflection of the lack of community support many families experience today. In past generations, neighbors helped one another, kids played outside in groups, and caregiving was more shared. Today, screens often serve as the stopgap where community used to be. Recognizing that can reduce guilt and open up more thoughtful decision-making around screen use.
It’s also helpful to consider what kids are actually getting out of their digital experiences. Games like Minecraft or Fortnite can offer more than entertainment—they can foster:
- creativity,
- problem-solving,
- social interaction,
- and perseverance.
These games represent risk, autonomy, and challenge—the very qualities we often admire in real-life activities like sports, crafts, or science experiments.
Instead of asking only, “How do I get my child off the screen?” we might start asking, “What is it about this experience that’s engaging them so deeply? And how can I offer something similarly fulfilling in the real world?” When we understand that screens can represent freedom, control, and accomplishment, we’re better equipped to offer off-screen experiences that provide those same feelings.
We also benefit when we stop seeing ourselves in opposition to technology and start seeing ourselves as guides. If we treat a child’s love of tech as something shameful or shallow, they will stop sharing those interests with us. But if we take the time to ask about the game they’re playing, or the video they’re watching, we get a window into their thinking—and a chance to connect.
That connection is vital when big feelings surface. A child melting down after losing a game isn’t just being “dramatic”—they’re processing disappointment and frustration. These are moments to help kids name their emotions, step back, and develop strategies for self-regulation—skills they’ll use far beyond the screen.
Technology is not going away. Our role is to prepare our kids to meet it with wisdom, resilience, and a sense of agency. We do that by building trust, staying curious, and treating their digital world with the same care we treat every other part of their development.
Screens are not the enemy. Disconnection is.
Resources
- Follow Ash Brandin on Instagram: @thegamereducator
- Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing!
- Check out Julie’s new author website: juliebogartwriter.com
- Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters: Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic
- Try out our Brave Writer Practice Pages
- Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
- Read all Brave Writer class descriptions
- Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
- Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
- Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Connect with Julie
- Instagram: @juliebravewriter
- Threads: @juliebravewriter
- Bluesky: @bravewriter.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa
- Website: melissawiley.com
- Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
- Instagram: @melissawileybooks
- Bluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social
Produced by NOVA
Letting Kids Teach Themselves
You can’t know everything your kids need to learn in advance.
They’re going to learn things they never use and they’re going to need things you never taught them.
Your chief task, then, is to ensure that your kids learn how to teach themselves what they want to know.
The ONLY WAY that happens is if you let your children and teens teach themselves the things they want to know.
That means you have to make time in the day for your child to learn what they want to know even if it means they don’t learn all the things YOU think they should know.
Now, read all of that again.
You’re doing great!
This post was originally shared on Instagram.
Watch the accompanying reel for more.
Brave Learning: Spelling, Punctuation, My Kid Hates Writing, and more!
Recently on Brave Learning…
Just how important are spelling and punctuation anyway? [Public]
This is the last of our series on writing voice. [More]
Help! My Kid Hates Writing [Public]
Turning Struggling Students into Brave Writers [More]
Writing Prompt: The Great Sock Debate [Public]
Freewriting is that wonderful key that unlocks the writer within. [More]
Subscribe to Brave Learning on Substack where we chat, discuss, problem-solve, and create together. Here’s what you can expect: weekly themed content, freewriting prompts, and a podcast for kiddos called Monday Morning Meeting (first 6 are free)!
[Podcast #282] Help! What if you hate teaching writing?
Do your kids hate writing? You’re not alone.
In this Brave Writer podcast episode, we explore why so many children (and adults!) feel blocked when it comes to writing—and why it’s more important than ever to teach kids to write from scratch, even in an age of AI.
We look at:
- the emotional power of writing,
- the damage done by performance-based instruction,
- and how we can shift our approach to help kids see themselves as thinkers and communicators.
Listen to hear an excerpt from Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing, and learn how to turn struggling students into brave writers.
Show Notes
We’ve all had moments when writing felt like a public trial—every word scrutinized, every typo judged. In a world where artificial intelligence can compose an entire essay faster than we can pour a cup of tea, it’s fair to ask: why even bother teaching kids to write at all?
Here’s why.
Writing is self-expression, not just self-presentation.
It’s tempting to see writing as a performance for others. But at its core, writing is about externalizing our internal world. When kids are given the freedom to write what they truly think—even if it starts with “I hate this”—they start to connect with their own voice. That’s when transformation happens. Writing isn’t just for grades; it’s for healing, discovery, and clarity.
Yes, AI exists. No, it doesn’t replace your child.
Sure, technology has made it easier to bypass the hard parts of writing. But it hasn’t replaced the most valuable part: the human part. No machine can replicate your child’s one-of-a-kind perspective. We write because no one else can think exactly what we think. We write to preserve our voice in a way no algorithm can duplicate.
Kids love writing—they just don’t love school writing.
Give a child a phone, and they’ll write all night. Texts, captions, comments, scripts—they’re already writing. But it’s writing that feels meaningful to them. What they resist is the sterile, formulaic kind of writing we often assign in school. When we reposition writing as a tool for thinking, creativity, and connection—not just academic performance—it becomes something worth doing.
We teach writers, not just writing.
When we put the writer at the center instead of the assignment, we unlock something powerful. Kids become thinkers, not just students fulfilling a rubric. They clarify their ideas, explore their feelings, and build confidence in their ability to communicate. That’s why writing is still worth teaching—even if your kid hates it right now.
We believe the act of putting words on a page is a deeply human endeavor. It deserves care, respect, and even joy. Our job is to help kids find their way into writing—not by force, but by helping them see the value of their own thoughts.
And here’s the truth: when they realize their ideas matter, writing stops being a chore and starts becoming a tool they can use for the rest of their lives.
Resources
- Check out Julie’s new author website: juliebogartwriter.com!
- Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing. Pre-order includes:
- PDF “Free the Writer in You” Family Freewriting Guide
- 3 Months of the Paid Substack Subscription for free (starts 4/15/2025)
- Claim your pre-order bonuses here
- Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters: Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic
- Try out our Brave Writer Practice Pages
- Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
- Read all Brave Writer class descriptions
- Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
- Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
- Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Connect with Julie
- Instagram: @juliebravewriter
- Threads: @juliebravewriter
- Bluesky: @bravewriter.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa
- Website: melissawiley.com
- Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
- Instagram: @melissawileybooks
- Bluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social
Produced by NOVA
What’s the Point of Grades?
For homeschoolers, grading is pretty irrelevant. Grades were designed to help a teacher communicate with a parent who isn’t present in the classroom to know if their child is doing a good enough job keeping up with the class content. At home, you know how your child is doing. Who is the grade for?
If you give grades because you want to build a transcript for admission to a school, just know that most universities and high schools don’t trust your grades anyway! There’s no way to “norm” the grades a parent gives. Sometimes the parent is generous, sometimes punitive. How can a school rely on parent-generated grades? They can’t!
What sets homeschooled kids apart?
- Their unique interests
- The overall composition of their coursework (what they studied and how)
- Their personal narrative essays where they demonstrate that learning
Colleges, in particular, are looking for a diversity of experiences in their freshman classes. They want kids who care about learning and have shown that passion.
The bottom line is: don’t sacrifice learning for the standardized education that drew you to homeschooling in the first place! If you want that standard education, send them to school! Otherwise, take advantage of the opportunity to live a rich life of learning that is not demonstrated by grades but by mastery, passion, and depth!
