Shows
Screen Guardians PodcastA superintendent's honest take: Why screen education matters more than everAn in-depth conversation with a veteran superintendent on why digital safety isn't optional—and how a rural Kansas district is leading by example. When I first sat down with Paul Larkin, superintendent of Syracuse USD 494 in Western Kansas, I wasn't expecting a conversation that would stay with me for days. There was no script. No sweeping rhetoric. Just truth—clear, steady, and hard-won. Paul has served in public education for more than 30 years—as a teacher, coach, principal, and now as superintendent for nearly a decade. He's seen technology arrive and evolve...
2026-02-1229 minScreen Guardians PodcastSupporting anxious kids in a digital world: why education—not restriction—is the real answer In a world where likes and comments feel like lifelines, where digital conversations unfold faster than emotions can catch up, our kids are navigating a reality we never had to. If you've ever wondered why your child seems more anxious than you were at their age—or why they retreat behind a screen when the world feels too much—you're not alone. We recently sat down with licensed professional counselor Morgan Lee for an honest conversation about what anxiety looks like in today's youth, how technology is part of the picture, and what parents can do to help. This episdode is gr...
2026-02-0247 minScreen Guardians PodcastA New Page for Our Kids: What Bell-to-Bell Phone-Free Schools Might Offer Them—And UsI want to start with a story. Not one from my childhood—but from today. Last week, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with a group of parents, educators, and advocates at the Kansas State Capitol. It wasn't a polished, pretty press moment. It was real and gritty—honest words in wood-paneled hearing rooms, the air thick with both urgency and hope. In front of lawmakers, we made the case for something simple, but increasingly rare: classroom spaces where kids can learn, connect, and grow without the constant hum of a phone in their pocket. That's the heart of S...
2026-01-2344 minScreen Guardians PodcastListening between the lines: A conversation about digital safety, from the inside out with Dr. Currie Myers In one of the most grounded and deeply human conversations we've had the honor to be part of, Kevin and I sat down with Dr. Currie Myers—America's Criminologist—for an episode that reached well beyond crime statistics and research papers. It reached into the heart of why we do this work. Because behind every warning about online risk, behind every school training or digital wellness tool we design, there are stories. Family stories. Police reports that start with a parent's voice cracking on the phone. Classroom moments when a ch...
2026-01-0251 minScreen Guardians PodcastKansas middle school limits Chromebooks to reduce screen time and improve student focus In recent years, the conversation around reducing screen time in schools has moved from quiet concern to active policy change. Educators, parents, and mental health professionals are paying closer attention to how constant tech use impacts student focus, emotional regulation, and classroom engagement. At the heart of this shift is a deeper question: Are our current digital practices truly supporting learning—or simply becoming the norm without reflection? At McPherson Middle School in Kansas, one principal decided to pause, reassess, and lead with intention. What followed was a bold reimagining of how—and when—technology should serve students...
2025-12-2943 minScreen Guardians PodcastWhat Screens Can't Teach: A Conversation About the Growing Cost of Digital Learning with Susan Dunaway This episode explores the powerful connection between digital learning and brain development, featuring insights from neurotherapist Susan Dunaway. From screen-based reading to educational apps in early childhood, we examine how technology in schools may be reshaping cognitive growth, memory, and emotional regulation in ways parents and educators can no longer afford to overlook. https://kidsdigitalhealthhub.com/digital-learning-and-brain-development-behind-screens/
2025-12-1356 min
America’s Criminologist with Dr. Currie MyersAmerica's Criminologist 12 09 25 Guests Katie Longhauser, RN, BSN & Det. Kevin Cronister
2025-12-0956 minScreen Guardians PodcastWhen School Devices Aren't as Safe as we Think: Guest Andy LiddellWhen a kindergartener walks into their classroom, the space is built for them. The chairs are small. The crayons are thick. The books are softbound and full of pictures. Slowly, over the years, their world expands—more words, more tools, more responsibility as their brains and bodies are ready for it. But when it comes to technology in schools, something is off. We're handing our youngest students open access to the digital equivalent of an AP chemistry lab—filled with volatile content, complex systems, and doors that lead to strangers, exploitation, and surveillance. And unlike the...
2025-11-2159 minScreen Guardians PodcastRunning Toward the Hard Conversations: A Story of Heartbreak, Hope, and Digital Safety - Conversation with Ben Tracy I've always believed in the power of a story—especially when it comes from someone who's lived every moment of it. That's why I invited Ben Tracy onto the Screen Guardians platform. Ben isn't just a digital safety advocate. He's a man who ran across the United States—3,100 miles, 125 days, 120 marathons—all for one purpose: to draw attention to the ways digital harm is impacting our kids. And he isn't here for buzzwords or vague warnings. He's here to talk about what's real—about the lives we...
2025-11-101h 06Screen Guardians PodcastWhen Trust is Tested: What Parents Are Learning About School-issued DevicesThis heartfelt episode explores how school-issued devices can quietly expose children to harmful content—and what parents can do to stay informed and involved. Sometimes parenting in a digital world feels less like walking a line—and more like walking a tightrope. No net. No guarantees. Just hope that we've done enough to protect them. Recently, I sat in conversation with two deeply thoughtful parents and my co-host, Detective Kevin Cronister—someone who has spent the last decade uncovering hidden threats to children online. We gathered around a table (virtually), not because we had answers, but be...
2025-11-031h 16Screen Guardians PodcastThe Dark Corners Of The Internet: What Every Parent Needs To Know About Emerging Online Threats To Kids There are conversations I wish we didn't have to have. But here we are—because ignoring hard truths doesn't protect our children. And pretending the digital world isn't changing at an alarming pace only leaves families more vulnerable. That's why we created the Screen Guardians podcast. It's not just information we're sharing—it's a lifeline for parents, educators, and anyone desperate to understand what's really happening behind screens. In a recent episode, I sat down with Kevin Cronister—ICAC lead detective and father of five—to talk about something no one w...
2025-10-1757 minScreen Guardians PodcastHow One Conversation Shifts Digital Parenting Strategies There are some conversations that feel too big to begin. Talking about the digital world and our kids—what they're exposed to, what they're carrying, how their brains and hearts are shaped by screens—that's one of those conversations. It's big. It's overwhelming. And for parents and educators alike, it can feel like we're already behind. But today, I want to offer you a different story. A slower, steadier one. A story about ordinary people doing sacred work in their homes, schools, and churches…one conversation at a time. ...
2025-10-0549 minScreen Guardians PodcastWhy this mom is suing IXL: A quiet fight to protect student data privacy in schools There are moments in parenting when something small nudges at your attention—and then, without warning, that "small" thing becomes a defining shift. That's what happened to Gretchen Shanahan in 2018. She remembers it clearly—the way the questions started stacking up in her mind. Why are my kindergartners using iPads during indoor recess? How much screen time are they actually getting during the school day? Who's counting? At the time, she didn't label herself a digital wellness advocate or a trailblazer. She was simply a mom asking questions.
2025-09-261h 09Screen Guardians PodcastWhen Schools Fail to Protect—Why This Kansas School Dance Incident Is a Wake-Up Call for Parents What happens when protecting children takes a back seat to bureaucracy, miscommunication, or worse—inaction? In one of the most emotionally charged and urgent episodes of the Screen Guardians Podcast, host Katie Longhauser and co-host Detective Kevin Cronister dive deep into a real-life case that shocked a local school community and ignited a movement for legislative change. In February 2024, a shocking incident occurred at Blue River Elementary School in the Blue Valley School District of Kansas. A registered sex offender, convicted of possessing hundreds of hours of child sexual abuse material...
2025-09-051h 14Screen Guardians PodcastWhat Happens When Teens Quit Social Media? Giuliana's Story Says It All We've all heard the warnings about screen time and social media overuse, but what actually happens when students step away from it completely? At Screen Guardians, we recently sat down with Giuliana, a recent graduate from Faustina Academy, for a raw and insightful conversation about growing up without social media during high school—and how it shaped her confidence, friendships, and mental health. Her story is a powerful reminder of what's possible when schools—alongside families—prioritize social media safety for kids. 👉 Stay tuned for more real stories and strategies on Screen Guardi...
2025-08-2936 minScreen Guardians PodcastHow One School Transformed Its Culture by Saying "No" to Social Media In this powerful episode of the Screen Guardians Podcast, host Katie Longhauser sits down with Principal Christina Mehaffey of Faustina Academy—a leader courageous enough to ask the hard questions about tech, culture, and the emotional well-being of kids. What followed was a school-wide transformation that not only reshaped student behavior, but rewired an entire community's mindset on how to raise children in a digital world. If you're a parent, educator, or community leader wondering "Is this just how it is now?"—this story will show you it doesn't have to be.
2025-08-161h 02Screen Guardians PodcastTeen Mental Health & Digital Safety: A Grieving Mother's Call to Flip the CultureIn today's always-connected world, navigating teen mental health and digital safety has never been more urgent—or more complex. As smartphones replace face-to-face conversations and social media becomes a primary social arena, our children are being shaped by experiences that we, as parents, never encountered growing up. Behind every screen is a young person trying to belong, express, and cope—and sometimes, that digital world can become overwhelmingly dark. This powerful story from educator and mother Ellen Riley reveals the raw reality of what can happen when online missteps meet real-world consequences—and why grace, educati...
2025-07-221h 21Screen Guardians PodcastA Detective's Calling: Protecting Children, On and Offline In our latest heartfelt episode of Screen Guardians Podcast, we stepped away from headlines and stats to center on something more personal — the story behind one of the voices in this mission to protect children. Meet Kevin Cronister: a SWAT-trained detective, a forensic psychology expert, a martial artist, and, most importantly, a devoted father and champion for kids. In a deeply emotional conversation with co-host Katie Longhauser, Kevin shared the roots of his vocation, what drives him to investigate Internet crimes against children, and how fatherhood has shaped both his personal and...
2025-07-0742 minScreen Guardians PodcastWhen Schools Fail: A Predator at the DanceA convicted sex offender attended an elementary school dance—unannounced to parents. Find out what happened and how to protect your child from this failure. In this hard-hitting episode of Screen Guardians Podcast, Katie and Kevin uncover a deeply disturbing incident that took place at an elementary school dance in the Blue Valley School District in Kansas. A convicted sex offender—released after serving 8 years for possession of child sexual abuse material—was allowed to attend a school event with zero warning to parents. He was even seen filming students at the event. Kevin, a chi...
2025-06-2140 minScreen Guardians PodcastA Wake-Up Call for Digital Parents: Jenny Taylor's Powerful Story on Navigating Tween Cyberbullying, Friendship, and Digital BoundariesParenting in the digital age is complicated—messy, emotionally intense, often uncertain, and more than ever, essential. In an eye-opening episode of the Screen Guardians podcast, host Katie speaks with her long-time friend, businesswoman, and devoted mother Jenny Taylor, who shares a deeply personal, challenging, and ultimately redemptive story about her family's experience with tween cyberbullying. This isn't just a cautionary tale; it's a call to action. One that challenges all caregivers to stay informed, stay present, and stay connected as they raise kids in today's tech-driven world.
2025-05-081h 08Screen Guardians PodcastUnderstanding Anxiety in Kids in the Digital Age: A Conversation with School Counselor Kat Kaplan In a world that's increasingly dominated by screens, social media, and digital distractions, our children are growing up facing challenges that didn't exist just a generation ago. At the Kids Digital Health Hub, we're committed to helping families understand these challenges — and most importantly — how to protect and support children as they grow up in a digital world. In a recent episode of the Screen Guardians podcast, host Katie sat down with Kat Kaplan, a school counselor working primarily with fifth through eighth-grade students, to dig deep into the effects of digital exposure on childre...
2025-04-2159 minScreen Guardians PodcastExposed: The Hidden Link Between Pornography and Sex TraffickingPornography and sex trafficking have a deeper link than many parents realize. With children encountering pornography as early as 10 years old, their vulnerability to online grooming and exploitation increases. This episode will uncover why parents need to be vigilant about internet safety for kids and practical steps you can take today. --- In today's hyper-connected world, children have access to the internet at their fingertips—but with this access comes invisible risks that many parents are unprepared for. One of the most alarming issues in our digital age is the link between pornography an...
2025-03-1848 minScreen Guardians PodcastHow to Shield Your Kids From Sextortion Risks Online In a world where our children live increasingly online, predators are finding terrifyingly sophisticated ways to exploit them. One of the most alarming threats today is sextortion—a growing cybercrime that preys on young people's trust and vulnerability, often with devastating consequences. Imagine this: an innocent teenager unknowingly befriends someone online. What starts as lighthearted conversation escalates into something unimaginable—blackmail involving explicit photos or videos. This isn't just some distant horror story; it's happening to thousands of children worldwide, and the numbers are climbing. In 2023 alone, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC...
2025-03-0447 minScreen Guardians PodcastProtecting and Preserving Childhood: A Mission Born from Experience The digital age has presented us with incredible opportunities to connect, learn, and grow — but it hasn't come without its challenges, especially for parents striving to raise children in a world dominated by technology. As the host of our podcast, Screen Guardians, Katie Longhauser shares a personal, powerful story that gives meaning to our mission: protecting and preserving childhood as we continue to focus on the digital health of children. Through her heartfelt testimony, Katie reveals how her life experiences have shaped her relentless drive to empower parents, schools, and communities with the too...
2025-02-1416 minScreen Guardians PodcastProtecting Childhood in a Digital World: Conversations That Matter In our latest podcast episode, Katie Longhauser—mom and advocate for digital health—sat down with Kevin Crosser, an experienced detective working on the frontlines of internet crimes against children. Together, they explored the unsettling realities of online threats, but more importantly, shared actionable ways parents can step up to protect their children. Let's dive into the highlights of this eye-opening conversation, where we uncover not only the dangers of the digital age but also the tools and strategies to safeguard childhood. https://kidsdigitalhealthhub.com/protecting-childhood-in-a-digital-world/
2025-02-1340 min
No Sunday Scaries ClubRun Towards The Problem with Katie LonghauserThis week, at the No Sunday Scaries Club, we get to spend time with Katie Longhauser! Katie is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, entrepreneur, athelete and....at the age of 40 she decided she wanted to be a professional body builder! Join us as Katie talks about running towards problems, being competitive in all aspects of life while being kind and genuine, the importance of coaching and being vulnerable as a leader! So much great stuff in this one! Support Katie's business here: https://www.instagram.com/virtuallyyoursagency.co/ Want to check...
2022-04-0341 min
Running After Age 40Heavy Lifting: How a Competitive Runner Learned to Eat, Lift, and Continually Push Herself Towards the Hard Stuff: Insights From Katie LonghauserListen in as Katie, a former track and cross country athlete, discusses her year of gains. She has redefined what strength is and provides amazing recommendations on how to get started with strength training and optimizing nutrition in simple ways. Her wisdom about weight training is a must-listen for runners after age 40.Katie has found joy in Natural Body Building (and huge success in it). She talks about trusting the process, listening to your body, and giving yourself grace. Her personal trainer has an app you can check out!She provides insights into how to st...
2021-09-2330 min