304: Are phones really that bad for our kids? With Dr Dean Burnett

What's the right age to give a child a mobile phone? How long should kids spend on screens each day? Why don't we need to feel as guilty about our children's phone use as we might think? Answering all these questions is the awesome neuroscientist Dean Burnett. 

He explains the difference between compulsion and addiction, and why he doesn't think Australia's plan to ban social media for under 16s is a good idea. We look at tricky issues like explicit content, cyberbullying, and the effect of staring at a screen on kids' eyesight - and find out what we can do about them. Dean tells us how long his own children spend on screens each day, and we are relieved. 

Along with giving us some tips on dealing with teens, Dean reveals how we can stave off the brain fog that comes with age. We end with some Scummy Mummy Confessions involving dirty pants, the Miami International Psychedelics Convention, and a packet of ham. And keep listening right to the end for some very strong language as we learn the Welsh term for "jellyfish". 

Dean's brilliant books, Why Your Parents Are Driving You Up The Wall And What You Can Do About It and Why Your Parents Are Hung Up On Your Phone And What To Do About It are out now. For more from Dean go to deanburnett.com. 

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