The Village Thrives

Screen time has come a long way from Saturday morning cartoons and shared family TVs. In this episode, we take a look back at what “screen time” meant when we were kids and how it’s evolved into a constant presence in our children’s lives today.
We dive into the challenges of navigating screens as modern parents — from setting realistic boundaries and rules to encouraging creativity, imagination, and even boredom in a tech-filled world. We also have an important conversation about autism and the unique screen time considerations that can come with it, along with practical guidelines to help families find a healthy balance.
And of course, we wrap things up with Bradley’s weekly Dad Joke — because sometimes, you just need a good laugh to log off.    

What is The Village Thrives?

The Village Thrives is a real-talk parenting podcast hosted by fellow parents and professional on-air personalities Donna Ruko, Kristina Guerrero, and Bradley Hasemeyer. With decades of combined experience in storytelling — and in the trenches of parenthood — we bring honest conversations, diverse perspectives, and plenty of laughs to the mic. Together, we explore what it truly means to build — and rebuild — our village in today’s world, and why none of us are meant to do this alone. Because when we lean on each other, we don’t just survive — we thrive.

Join our village @TheVillageThrives
Donna Ruko @DonnaRuko
Bradley Hasemeyer @BHaz
Kristina Guerrero @KristinaGuerrero

Intro song - Temptation by Doug Locke
Outro song - Precious by Doug Locke
Available on Spotify and iTunes