Beyond the Screen: A Toolkit for Understanding Why Kids Turn to Tech

You’re not alone if you’ve asked:

• "Why can’t my child stop scrolling?"

• "Are they addicted to their phone?"

• "How do I stop the constant power struggles over screens?"

This toolkit goes beyond tech rules and time limits—to the root of the behavior.

It helps you understand why your child or student is turning to tech in the first place—and what they might really need instead.

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Who This Is For

• Moms feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or worried about their child’s screen time

• Teachers noticing tech-based distraction, emotional shutdown, or social disconnection in students

• Anyone who wants to respond with connection instead of control

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Backed by Research & Proven Models

This toolkit is grounded in:

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1943)

• Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000)

• Emotion Coaching (Gottman et al., 1996)

• Compensatory Internet Use Theory (Kardefelt-Winther, 2014)

• Digital Emotional Avoidance Research (Uhls et al., 2017)