Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

Episode: "Screen Time: Less is More"

Date: March 27, 2026
Guest: Jonathan McKee (Social researcher, author, speaker)
Hosts: Jim Daly, John Fuller

Episode Overview

This episode centers on how pervasive screen time—across all ages—shapes family life, emotional health, and spiritual connection. Jonathan McKee draws from latest research, personal stories, and biblical wisdom to illustrate why “less is more” when it comes to technology and how intentional reduction of screen use may foster deeper relationships within families and with God.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Screen Time: A Universal Family Issue

• Observation: It's not only young people who are glued to screens—parents and even toddlers are included.
  • Quote (Jonathan McKee, 01:29):

    "Dad is sitting there looking at a big screen. Mom's sitting next to, maybe watching that screen, but also looking at a screen of her own...This isn't a young people problem. This is a we love our screens issue here."

• Core Question: With greater connectivity than ever, are we actually more satisfied? Or is “less more”?
• Insider Reflection: Screens connect us with people outside the room but often at the cost of those right inside it.

2. The Pressure of Being 'On' All the Time

• Social Media's Burden:
  • The shift from enjoying moments to feeling the need to document and broadcast them has heightened self-comparison and pressure—especially among youth.
  • “Influencer culture” is pervasive: 8 out of 10 young people report wanting to become influencers.
  • Memorable Quote (Jonathan McKee, 02:45):

    "We're all living the life of an 80s rock star. What do my followers think?"

• The Wait After Posting:
  • The anticipation for likes and approval creates emotional highs and lows, fostering anxiety and dissatisfaction.
  • No matter the number of followers, there’s always someone with more—fueling a sense of inadequacy.

3. The Real Odds of 'Making It' as an Influencer

• Engaging Illustration (05:00):
  • In a room (stand up, sit down exercise), McKee demonstrates only a tiny fraction will actually achieve full-time influencer status—comparable to the odds of making it in the NBA.
  • Point: Most will not "make it," but the emotional fallout of striving and comparison remains widespread.

4. Social Media, Depression, and Emotional Health

• Research Connections:
  • Even before the COVID pandemic, spikes in teen depression and suicide—especially among girls—correlated with increased screen time and social comparison.
  • Notable Quote (Jonathan McKee, 11:45):

    “Depression had spiked more than it ever had before. Teenage suicide among teen girls was at an all-time spike, anxiety, everything.”

• Personal Perspective:
  • Jonathan’s daughter shared,

    “Comparison is the thief of joy.” (13:00)

  • Instagram, she said, always made her compare herself to others, never feeling as good.

5. Overconnected but Disconnected

• Irony Highlighted:
  • Americans are so “connected” digitally, but real face-to-face intimacy is lacking—even pre-pandemic.
  • Stat: The average mom and dad spend more time on screens than with each other or their kids. (15:20)
• Critical Question:
  • “Are there possibly some unforeseen consequences to being so over-connected that we don’t connect anymore?” (16:00)

6. Scriptural Foundation: The One Thing That Matters

• Luke 10:38-42—Mary & Martha Story (16:20):
  • Martha is distracted by good things and misses the better thing—connection with Jesus.
  • Key Takeaway:
    • Even positive tools (hospitality, technology) can morph into distractions from what matters most.
  • Modern Paraphrase (Jonathan McKee, 18:50):

    “‘Martha, Martha, chill. Order a pizza.’”

  • Life Parallel:
    • Chasing “insta perfect” moments (like weddings) can rob us of actually enjoying them in the present.

7. Fixing Our Eyes on What Matters

• Practical Analogy:
  • Mountain biking with friends: Jonathan is told to fix his gaze on the leader’s back wheel to avoid deadly distraction.
  • Gets lured by the scenery, crashes, and learns the literal lesson:

    “Sometimes things become a distraction from the one thing that's important.” (22:00)

8. Experimenting With a Media Fast

• Family Mission Trip Practice:
  • Youth pastor challenged the entire family to a month-long “media fast,” sparking resistance but eventually leading to meaningful family time.
  • Memorable Anecdote (Jonathan McKee, 23:15):

    “At night, my kids would finish the homework... they'd come downstairs and they'd be like, what are we gonna do? I'm like, I don't know. Here's a ball. Let's throw it at the dog. Dog lost 30 pounds that month.”

  • Outcome:
    • After a month, they realized they couldn't return to “the way it was.”
    • Adopted “No Tech Tuesdays” as a new family tradition.

Notable Quotes & Segments (with Timestamps)

• 08:50 — "It's starting to affect us. And we're seeing this number in particular be something crucial...There's always someone with more followers."
• 13:00 (Jonathan's daughter): “Every time I posted something on Instagram… I couldn't help but compare. That's the one thing Instagram always does to me. It makes me compare. And she says, comparison is the thief of joy.”
• 16:00 — "Is there a chance that we are so over connected that we don't even connect anymore?"
• 18:50 — “Martha, Martha, chill. Order a pizza.”
• 22:00 — "Sometimes things become a distraction from the one thing that's important. What do you got to trim?"
• 23:15 — “Here's a ball. Let's throw it at the dog. Dog lost 30 pounds that month.”
• 24:00 — "When the 30 days were up…they said this, and they weren't ready to give up screens or anything…but we talked as a family, and we came up with an idea… No Tech Tuesday… because we realized that less was more."

Suggested Practices & Resources

• Media Fast: Try a digital fast individually or as a family—even as short as a week—to reset relational priorities.
• New Traditions: Set specific screen-free times (e.g., “No Tech Tuesday” or family game nights).
• Scriptural Focus: Regularly refocus on spiritual grounding—keep the “one thing” (connection with Jesus, with family) central.

Conclusion

Jonathan McKee closes with a compelling challenge to honestly assess what distracts us and to take practical, sometimes uncomfortable steps to reclaim joy, depth, and true connection. The core refrain: less is indeed more—fewer screens can mean more presence, more relationship, more richness in family and faith.