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About Emily

About Emily

Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant, empowers parents to understand and balance family screentime by inspiring a movement around becoming tech-intentional.

As a mother of two (12 & 15) and former teacher, she is intimately familiar with the daunting challenges facing families in today’s highly digitized world.

Emily’s book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, was published in January 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group.

Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant, empowers parents to understand and balance family screentime by inspiring a movement around becoming tech-intentional.

emily profile photo round
emily profile photo round

As a mother of two (12 & 15) and former teacher, she is intimately familiar with the daunting challenges facing families in today’s highly digitized world.

Emily’s book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, will be published in January 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group.

emily profile photo round
emily profile photo round
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The Screentime Problem

The Screentime Problem

There is growing research about the impact of technology on children, learning, mental health, relationships, families, and more. I believe strongly in using evidence-based research and data to inform my work. Increasingly, screen use, especially for children, is not only correlated with– but causational– to later health and educational outcomes.

“Screentime” challenges existed before the global pandemic started in 2020. But the experience of lockdown, remote work and learning, increased isolation, and increased screentime, especially for children, added fuel to the fire.

Here are just a few statistics to illustrate the current situation:

CDC Risk 2021
CDC Risk 2021
CDC Risk 2021
Surgeon general may 2021
Surgeon general may 2021
Surgeon general may 2021
children's commissioner stats 2023
children's commissioner stats 2023
children's commissioner stats 2023
common sense media stats
common sense media stats
common sense media stats

What Emily Believes

What Emily Believes

I am not “anti-technology”; I am Tech-Intentional™. We all know that screen-based technology can be amazing. There are so many ways that it can improve our lives. But things get complicated, especially when it comes to children, whose brains are very different from adult brains.

Here is my philosophy about children, parenting, and screentime:

  • Real-world connection to our children is key to our success in setting and sticking to screentime limits.

  • A little screentime is okay, and a lot is too much. It’s about balance. Not all screentime is the same.

  • Nuance is key. What works for one family may not work for another. That’s okay.

  • Children learn best through hands-on, 3-D, tactile experiences in the context of human relationships. How parents use screens directly impacts how children use screens. Our adult behavior matters.

  • We must replace judgment with curiosity. This is hard.

  • When we know better, we do better, and we are constantly growing and learning. And that is a powerful example to set for our children.

Previous parenting generations never had to deal with screentime battles. It is not like the TV-watching and video games of our childhood (see: persuasive design, streaming services, the internet, etc.). And the impact of excessive screen use on our children’s brains and emotional health is significantly different. In fact, I believe that we are fighting for our children’s future cognitive, mental, emotional, and physical development when we tackle the screentime challenges in childhood. It is that important.

A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

Author Emily Cherkin―aka The Screentime Consultant―has created a compelling guide for parents struggling with screentime. She combines research, humor, and experience as a coach and teacher to provide a tried and true method for creating screentime balance.

the screentime solution cover side panel
the screentime solution cover side panel

Emily's Activism

Emily's Activism

Why work with Emily?

Emily's mission is to empower parents to better understand and balance family screentime by building a Tech-Intentional™ movement.

Relationships

Before we can change anything else, we have to start with relationships. Relationships before screens, always.

Research

There is a lot of tech-funded "research" about the benefits of technology. My recommendations are rooted in the science of childhood development from independent researchers.

Balance

It’s not practical to ban technology. It is critical to find a sustainable balance that keeps our children safe and reinforces our core values.

Courage

I believe deeply in what I teach. It's why I am not afraid to speak up and fight for what is best for children, not companies.

Why work with Emily?

Emily's mission is to empower parents to better understand and balance family screentime by building a Tech-Intentional™ movement.

Relationships

Before we can change anything else, we have to start with relationships. Relationships before screens, always.

Research

There is a lot of tech-funded "research" about the benefits of technology. My recommendations are rooted in the science of childhood development from independent researchers.

Balance

It’s not practical to ban technology. It is critical to find a sustainable balance that keeps our children safe and reinforces our core values.

Courage

I believe deeply in what I teach. It's why I am not afraid to speak up and fight for what is best for children, not companies.

Why work with Emily?

Emily's mission is to empower parents to better understand and balance family screentime by building a Tech-Intentional™ movement.

Relationships

Before we can change anything else, we have to start with relationships. Relationships before screens, always.

Research

There is a lot of tech-funded "research" about the benefits of technology.

My recommendations are rooted in the science of childhood development from independent researchers.

Balance

It’s not practical to ban technology. It is critical to find a sustainable balance that keeps our children safe and reinforces our core values.

Courage

I believe deeply in what I teach. It's why I am not afraid to speak up and fight for what is best for children, not companies.

Are you interested in featuring Emily?

Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant, empowers parents to understand and balance family screentime by inspiring a movement around becoming tech-intentional. As a mother of two (13 & 16) and former teacher, she is intimately familiar with the daunting challenges facing families in today’s highly digitized world.

Emily’s book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, was published in January 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group.

Are you interested in featuring Emily?

Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant, empowers parents to understand and balance family screentime by inspiring a movement around becoming tech-intentional. As a mother of two (13 & 16) and former teacher, she is intimately familiar with the daunting challenges facing families in today’s highly digitized world.

Emily’s book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, was published in January 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group.

Are you interested in featuring Emily?

Emily Cherkin, MEd., The Screentime Consultant, empowers parents to understand and balance family screentime by inspiring a movement around becoming tech-intentional. As a mother of two (13 & 16) and former teacher, she is intimately familiar with the daunting challenges facing families in today’s highly digitized world.

Emily’s book, The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, was published in January 2024 by Greenleaf Book Group.

Are you ready to be Tech-Intentional™?

Click below to contact Emily and see if a Tech-intentional™ approach is right for you!

Are you ready to be Tech-Intentional™?

Click below to contact Emily and see if a Tech-intentional™ approach is right for you!

Are you ready to be Tech-Intentional™?

Click below to contact Emily and see if a Tech-intentional™ approach is right for you!

The Screentime Consultant Logo Footer image

Emily Cherkin’s mission is to empower parents to better understand and balance family screentime by building a Tech-Intentional™ movement.

Copyright © 2024 The Screentime Consultant, LLC | All Rights Reserved. | Tech-Intentional™

and The Screentime Consultant, LLC™ are registered trademarks.

The Screentime Consultant Logo Footer image

Emily Cherkin’s mission is to empower parents to better understand and balance family screentime by building a Tech-Intentional™ movement.

Copyright © 2024 The Screentime Consultant, LLC | All Rights Reserved. | Tech-Intentional™

and The Screentime Consultant, LLC™ are registered trademarks.

The Screentime Consultant Logo Footer image

Emily Cherkin’s mission is to empower parents to better understand and balance family screentime by building a Tech-Intentional™ movement.

Copyright © 2024 The Screentime Consultant, LLC | All Rights Reserved. | Tech-Intentional™

and The Screentime Consultant, LLC™

are registered trademarks.