The Follow-Up: How Phones and Social Media Impact Kids

The PedsDocTalk Podcast

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Kids & Family, Parenting

5 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this insightful follow-up episode, Dr. Mona is joined by Bill Brady—CEO of Troomi Wireless and a father of five—for a powerful conversation about the realities of kids and phones. They discuss the benefits of tech, the very real risks of social media, and how parents can introduce devices with intention. From self-esteem and screen-time addiction to practical steps for safe tech use, this episode is a must-listen for any parent navigating the digital age. What We Cover: The pros and cons of giving kids phones Why it’s not about a specific age, but developmental readiness The impact of social media on teen mental health and self-esteem Why kids today are facing an “always on” culture of bullying How to safely ease children into tech (and what that actually looks like) The importance of parental controls, gradual access, and media literacy Dr. Mona’s take on being a content creator—and the mental health toll it can take Want more? Enjoy the full episode at ⁠PedsDocTalk.com⁠ Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Peds Dog Talk podcast and welcome to the follow-up.
0:05.8	I'm Dr. Mona, your pediatrician and mom friend. This is your Monday parenting pick me up,
0:10.3	a little moment of calm, clarity, and, oh good, it's not just me to start your week.
0:14.8	Whether you're digging a charger out of the couch cushions or fighting the urge to say,
0:18.6	no phones until you're 30. Today we're throwing it back to one of my favorite chats with Bill Brady,
0:23.1	dad of five, tech entrepreneur and CEO of Trumi Wireless.
0:26.9	Bill has lived the reality of raising kids in a world that's basically one endless scroll,
0:31.3	and he's here to help us think differently about introducing phones to kids.
0:35.0	In this episode, we dive into why being intentional matters
0:38.1	way more than following the crowd
0:39.4	and how to start with safety first steps like talk-and-text-only models.
0:43.0	We also get into the hidden risks of social media,
0:45.3	like the erosion of self-esteem and gratitude,
0:47.7	and why protecting kids' real-world childhoods matters now more than ever.
0:52.3	Let's get into it.
1:00.2	Thank you. childhoods matters now more than ever. Let's get into it. So from the research in this field of technology, mental health, as well as your experience
1:06.0	being a parent to five children, what do you see the benefits of having a phone and what would be some
1:13.6	concerns you see with a child having access to a phone? Well, the benefits side, I think the first
1:21.1	benefit is selfish for parents, right? It's the convenience of being able to reach our kids.
1:27.6	You know, when I was a kid, we didn't have phones.
1:30.8	Right. And somehow we all survived and everything, everything was fine.
1:35.3	But, you know, we've kind of got a culture now where there's this heightened sensitivity for parents of,
	...

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