If you have boys in your life — whether you’re a parent, teacher, mentor, or coach — I think you’ll enjoy this week’s discussion with Kruti Kanojia of Healthy Gamer and Jim Festante of Health-e-Habits. We cover practical, realistic ways to help boys build a healthier relationship with games, social media, and the online world, including:
Shifting the focus from “how much screentime” to “what’s on the screen?”
How to show interest, not fear, in your boys’ digital experiences.
The core needs boys seek online: achievement, curiosity, escape, community, and identity.
How to build competing interests offline that meet those same core human needs: e.g. sports, museums, planning trips, clubs.
Online friends and communities are genuine support systems, often underrated, and sometimes even lifelines.
Why structure matters more than bans or time limits: Using shared family spaces (e.g., computers in one room) and norms like “headphones are earned.”
How to make parenting less tedious and more joyful.
Jim and Kruti offer more wisdom and practical tips throughout our 30-minute discussion. Here’s a 5-minute clip:
What did you think of the conversation, and what advice would you share?
