Teacher librarian and The Gamer Educator, Ash Brandin, discusses screen time boundaries intersecting with diet culture and anti-fatness. Topics include unlearning screen habits, social media's diet culture influence, balancing children's screen time preferences, and engaging in creative sticker stories with kids for relaxation.
Value genuine relaxation over productivity in leisure activities to combat internalized capitalism and fatphobia.
Utilize the 'division of responsibility' approach to set healthy screen time boundaries for children.
Reframe screen time as a neutral aspect to avoid restrictive detox-like practices and unhealthy relationships with screens.
Deep dives
The Influence of Internalized Capitalism and Fatphobia on Leisure Activities
There is an internalized pressure for leisure activities to be productive, connecting this notion with internalized capitalism and fatphobia. The speaker discusses the conflict between the idea of 'good' leisure involving productivity versus the need for genuine relaxation and downtime, emphasizing the importance of allowing oneself to simply enjoy leisure without guilt.
Navigating Screen Time Boundaries with Children
The podcast episode features Ash Brandon, a teacher librarian, who utilizes video games to enhance student learning and offers practical advice on screen time boundaries for families. Ash's Instagram account, the gamer educator, assists caregivers in managing screen time and balancing its benefits for the whole family, providing essential tools and suggestions to navigate these challenges.
Reframing Conversations Around Screen Time and Detox Culture
The speaker delves into the problematic concept of 'screen time detox' and its resemblance to detox culture related to food. By reframing the narrative around screen time as a neutral aspect of life, the podcast highlights the importance of avoiding restrictive approaches that may lead to unhealthy relationships with screens, drawing parallels between screen time and diet culture.
Addressing Attitudes Towards Leisure and Productivity
The discussion touches upon the pressures of internalized capitalism and fatphobia influencing individuals' views on leisure activities. Emphasizing the value of leisure for its inherent enjoyment rather than productivity, the podcast stresses the importance of embracing leisure activities without feeling the need to constantly engage in 'productive' endeavors.
Empowering Parents in Screen Time Management
By adopting the division of responsibility approach to technology, the podcast podcast suggests that adults set limits and parameters around screen time availability and content, while allowing children to make choices within these boundaries. This approach aims to establish a healthy relationship with technology for children while empowering parents to make informed decisions and create consistent routines around screen time.
Today Virginia is chatting with Ash Brandin, a middle school teacher librarian better known as The Gamer Educator. Ash helps caregivers navigate screen time boundaries, to ensure it benefits the whole family. And we're going to talk about how screen time attitudes can intersect so much with diet culture and anti-fatness.
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Disclaimer: Virginia is a journalist and human with a lot of informed opinions. Virginia is not a nutritionist, therapist, doctor, or any kind of health care provider. The conversation you're about to hear and all of the advice and opinions she and her guests give are just for entertainment, information, and education purposes only. None of this is a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice.
The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith. Follow Virginia on Instagram.Burnt Toast transcripts and essays are edited and formatted by Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, an Instagram account where you can buy and sell plus size clothing.The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Jeff Bailey and Chris Maxwell.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism.