Kathy Van Benthuysen's Linkedin Analytics

Do you know anyone who wishes their kids spent more time on social media, gaming, or endless scrolling? Neither do I. But here’s what I see every day: Kids asking for phones long before they’re ready ... because “everyone else has one.” Parents feeling guilty, outnumbered, or just plain exhausted. And families losing real connection to a screen that never stops demanding attention. Hi!! I’m Kathy Van Benthuysen, a retired educator with nearly 30 years in the classroom and the founder of 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲. Here’s what I know: A smartphone isn’t just a piece of tech — it’s a power tool. And before we hand it over, we owe kids something more than, “Be careful.” They need: ✅ To understand that social media is a highlight reel, not real life. ✅ To spot the dopamine traps and attention engineers waiting behind every ping. ✅ To build everyday responsibility, emotional strength, and habits that stick, long before the phone shows up. That’s exactly what we do inside 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲. It’s not about taking tech away forever. It’s about helping kids earn trust and build skills so they can handle it well. Our roadmap for families: 1️⃣ Start with the free 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. You take it. Your child takes it. You both get a clear score and your child sees for themselves if they’re ready … or not yet. 2️⃣ If they’re not ready (and most aren’t), the 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲 steps in with step-by-step, self-paced coaching for kids: ✅ Real conversations about tech & dopamine ✅ Emotional maturity & handling “no” ✅ Character, trust, and daily habits that prove they’re ready ✅ Less stress for you 📈 The results? Kids who: ✅ Communicate better ✅ Spend less time glued to screens ✅ Earn trust instead of testing it ✅ Are just more fun to be around Parents who: ✅ Feel confident holding the line ✅ Have clear steps instead of second-guessing ✅ Get back connection and calm I stepped away from my teaching career early to tackle this head-on because I’ve seen what happens when we just “hope for the best.” Kids deserve better. So do you. 📌 Want to see where your child stands? Start with the free 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 → It’s in my Featured Section. Let’s raise kids who are ready for tech ... and for life.