The Phone Isn’t the Problem! Social Media Rules For Parents! with Chief Master Greg Moody and Senior Master Laura Sanborn

Parents worry about how much time their children spend on phones, tablets, and social media. But the real problem isn't the technology itself. It's what children aren't doing while they're using it—and what happens when parents model the very behaviors they're trying to prevent. In this episode, Chief Master Greg Moody, Ph.D., founder of KarateBuilt Martial Arts and a licensed counselor at Integrated Mental Health Associates, joins Senior Master Laura Sanborn to explore how smartphones and social media affect childhood development and what parents can do about it. Drawing on research from psychologist Jonathan Haidt and the American Academy of Pediatrics, Greg and Laura discuss the effects of excessive screen time on sleep, attention, relationships, and emotional well-being. They also explain why setting limits isn't enough—parents must model healthy technology habits while helping children develop independence, capability, and meaningful connections. Topics covered include: • Why excessive screen time can interfere with healthy childhood development • The relationship between social media, anxiety, depression, and attention • Jonathan Haidt's recommendations for delaying smartphones and social media • Four major concerns: reduced sleep, less social interaction, fractured attention, and difficult-to-break habits • Practical family rules for phones, bedrooms, meals, and social media • How to respond when children say, "Everybody else has a phone!" • Why parents must model the behaviors they expect from their children • The importance of free play, independence, and face-to-face relationships This episode is for parents, grandparents, educators, and anyone helping children develop healthy habits in a technology-filled world. The goal isn't to eliminate technology. It's to raise children who can use it responsibly without becoming dependent on it. For more information visit KarateBuilt.com and DrGregMoody.com.