by Eileen Scott
Special to The Leaven
OVERLAND PARK — Screens can wait. Childhood can’t.
That was the theme for the Oct. 15 presentation and discussion at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park.
Emily Brownlee, a ScreenStrong ambassador and parishioner at Ascension, presented a talk called “Beyond the Screen” that educated parents and community members about the impact of digital screens on children and teens.
ScreenStrong is a nonprofit that, according to its website, “empowers families to prevent and reverse childhood screen addiction with parent-proven solutions grounded in child development science and medical research.”
Ascension parishioner Will Fernholz, a licensed clinical social worker, joined Brownlee as they discussed the negative impact excessive screen use has on brain development and social-emotional skills.
“I have seen firsthand, kind of from the front lines, what screen use and especially excessive screen use does to children’s brains,” Fernholz said.
“It just kind of trains their brains to be addicts to all sorts of things,” he said.
The average teen spends 10 hours per day on screens, Brownlee said. That can include social media, texting, video games and pornography websites.
During her presentation, Brownlee said many technology companies use persuasive design practices that intentionally make platforms addictive.
Seemingly harmless things like the use of color can make it hard for people to put their phones down, she explained.
“I tell people to turn their phones to grayscale all the time and they’re like, ‘Wow, it’s amazing how I have no desire to look at it anymore,’” Brownlee said.
Brownlee was a state co-lead who worked with the coalition to pass the Kansas “bell- to- bell” phone ban bill for K-12 students. The bill was signed by Gov. Laura Kelly in March and bans the use of cell phones and personal electronic devices during the school day.
Baile Stephenson is a member of Mothers of Young Children (MOYCP) at Ascension and was one of the organizers of the event, which was attended by roughly 25 parishioners and community members.
Her interest in learning more about the impact of screens stems from her role as a mother of two, with a third child on the way.
“They are future leaders of families and the church,” said Stephenson. “How do we educate our kids so they can make decisions and be creative thinkers?”
Emily Keller is an Ascension parishioner and mother of four who is expecting her fifth child in December. She attended the presentation because she knows that phone and screen pressure will only increase as her children get older.
“Attending this talk helped me understand my child’s developing brain, what they need during these formative years and how persistent or improper use of screens harms or even totally inhibits these necessary developments,” she said.
According to Stephenson, some of those who attended the presentation are looking to form a community of like-minded adults to continue the conversation and deal with the dangers of screen use.
This aligns with Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications on May 17, in which he wrote: “No one can elude personal responsibility for the future we are building.”
For more information and free resources, visit: screenstrong.org.
