Fusion Franklin Inspires Presents: Tech Addiction — Finding Balance in a Digital World

Kicking Off the 2026–27 Community Education Speaker Series

Screens are an essential part of modern life—but how much is too much?

Join Franklin Fusion as we kick off our 2026–27 Community Education Speaker Series with an important and timely conversation for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone who works with children and teens:

Tech Addiction — Finding Balance in a Digital World
Featuring Dr. Mary Payne & Taylor Braile

Technology offers incredible opportunities for creativity, connection, entertainment, and learning. At the same time, increasing concerns about tech overuse—and even addiction—are raising important questions for families. Excessive screen time and unhealthy technology habits can affect children and teens in meaningful ways, including their sleep, mood, attention, relationships, and overall well-being.

This engaging session will help parents and caregivers better understand the complicated relationship kids and teens have with technology. Attendees will learn how to recognize potential warning signs of problematic tech use, explore the brain science behind technology and addictive behaviors, and discover practical strategies families can use to encourage healthier digital habits.

Rather than focusing on battles, restrictions, or simply telling kids to “get off their phones,” this conversation will explore how families can create a culture of balance, moderation, and healthy technology use.

What You’ll Learn

Participants will gain practical tools and insights to help:

• Recognize the warning signs of problematic technology use and potential addiction
• Understand how technology affects the developing brain
• Identify how excessive tech use can impact sleep, mood, relationships, and daily life
• Establish healthy boundaries and expectations around screens and social media
• Teach children and teens the importance of moderation
• Model healthy technology habits as parents and caregivers
• Develop a family approach to technology that encourages balance rather than conflict
• Recognize the positive role technology can play in creativity, connection, and learning

This is an opportunity to move beyond the question of “How much screen time is too much?” and toward a more meaningful conversation: How can we help our children develop a healthy relationship with technology that lasts?

Join Us

Whether you’re navigating your child’s first smartphone, negotiating screen time with a teenager, or simply wondering whether your family has found the right balance, this conversation is designed to provide research-informed guidance, practical strategies, and a hopeful path forward.

Franklin Fusion’s 2026–27 Community Education Speaker Series begins with a conversation every modern family can benefit from.