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This is the Jocko Underground podcast number 208, sitting here with Echo Charles. And we have gotten some questions from the field, from the front lines, from life, from business, from the battlefield in some cases. And we will present some answers, some recommendations, or at a minimum, some various courses of action to follow. Yes, sir. So let's get into it.
B
Okay, first question. Greetings. I've been on the path for years. Home gym, Jiu Jitsu, blue belt. Hell yeah. Business owner and father to a three year old future BJJ world champ. It's a good dream. It's a good dream.
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It's a country.
B
My wife is amazing and runs her own business from home. She also works out and takes care of our son during the day. We're very intentional about how we're raising him, keeping him active, learning and eating well. But with our schedules, we, we sometimes rely on movies to distract him while we get work done. No tablet, just longer. More educational content on tv. But is. It still doesn't feel great. What would you do in this situation to build good habits for your kids while still handling work? We can't afford a nanny yet.
A
Well, first of all, say it sounds like you're doing awesome. You got the, you got the Jiu Jitsu, the home gym. It's a big step.
B
Huge.
A
It's a big step. People don't even realize how big of a step that is, but that's a big step. Jiu Jitsu, got your business. That's awesome, Ben. And you got a kid, you got a son. So you're. And it sounds like you're doing a good job already. Like, honestly, here's the thing. I wouldn't worry about it too much. You got to watch an occasional movie. There's like good educational movies, there's documentaries, there's nature programs, there's cool stuff to watch and healthy stuff to watch. And it's perfectly fine. And you don't have them on a, on a freaking iPad or an iPhone. I was at an event, we'll say, and the event was, let's say about three and a half hours long. And it was, there was a kid that was probably, probably around this age, like three or four, was literally on an iPad, like k, like fingers moving on the iPad for three and a half straight hours. No, no breaks. It was insane. So you got your kid watching the occasional movie. You know, maybe he's watching a half an hour of a movie while you guys are getting dinner ready or something like that. Maybe he's watching 45 minutes of a Movie while you are, you know, while you're grow. While you're doing work at home, while your wife is gross. Like there's reasons where, you know, it's like, okay, and you got him watching some good stuff. You know, I watched freaking, what was it, Sesame Street?
B
Yep.
A
When I was a kid. That's a half an hour program. I probably watched that. Oh, I watched Batman and Robin.
B
What, the cartoon?
A
No, like those weird men, live action. Yeah. You know which one I'm talking about?
B
The show. The old school.
A
Yeah. Like the show with the kabam and. Yeah, right. So those are. I watched those pretty consistently as a kid. Saturday morning cartoons, 100%. So I mean, I don't think, I think that's. Our whole generation grew up doing that.
B
Yeah.
A
And I don't think we're like too twisted or anything. So I think you're in a good spot. And I will say that. What, the three year old's a little bit tricky. Three year old's a little bit tough because some, some forthcoming activities, they're just out of reach right now. They're just out of reach right now. Next year or so you're going to be able to really expand what you make available to him. The building toys, the blocks, the Legos, the, the Tonka trucks, the bow and arrow, like the foam bow and arrow thing, the, the Nerf ball, the Nerf guns, the jungle gym, like all these things are common. They're right around the horizon. And once that happens, like you're, you can. There's no reason for anything else other than all those things. You know, when I had this thing for my son, he had an area in our yard that he called his area.
B
Sure.
A
And it was just dirt and mud and shovels and green army men and tanks and bazookas and half tracks and little sidecar motorcycles. Like just war scene.
B
Yeah.
A
And the hose would get putting in there and the shovels would come out. Foxholes were being dug. It was a disaster for, you know, know. What is that blonde manicuring. There was no, there was rivers out there. You know, the water bill crept up because there was white water activities going down with British commandos and kayaks and stuff like this. But dude, this kid was out there for hours with his buddies. Hours and hours and hours and hours. So that's, you know, set something up like that for your kid. And then when they dig just, just a little bit beyond that is bikes, skateboards, basketballs, footballs, Nerf guns, more Nerf guns, BB guns. Like it's, it's gonna be on, so I wouldn't sweat this too bad. It sounds like you're in a good spot. You're minimizing it as much as you can. And he's about to hit an age where the whole world opens up to him, so. Gonna be good to go, man. Don't worry about it. Little movie now and again, you know, you'd be fine. That's what I got.
B
Yeah. Makes sense. The. Because everything that's on a screen, we'll say. Because that's a super general thing, right? A screen. And then there's this. Everything's not created equal on the screen, you know, so there's, like, things that kid at whatever age can watch on a screen that can be, you know, whatever. Whatever you want to assign to it, whether it be damaging or just, you know, intrusive or. Or hold his development back or something like this, right? And then there's over here, which could be straight up helpful. Like, straight. Like you mentioned Sesame street, by the way. If you remember, Sesame street was pretty educational. They were talking about words and consonants and vowels and all this other stuff. So I think sometimes we can be like, oh, iPad bad, 100%, under all circumstances bad. Now, an argument can be made that, like, hey, if this kid never gets in front of an iPad, that's beneficial for XYZ reason. And I believe that that is. That is correct. I believe. But I do also, at the same time believe that there are things, whether it be on an iPad or just a TV screen, which is kind of different in a lot of ways. There are some things on there that aren't terrible that are actually. Can be helpful. Now, the thing is, like. Like, anything where if it's like, okay, if that. If a kid, especially during, like, development. This is just what I. What I've come to understand. If they now become addicted to that thing, and it's like getting in the way of other development or other interests and stuff like that, where now they don't want to do anything. They just want to be on the iPad, you know, because of certain things, these certain addictive things that they're watching and they're locked into it. You know that. Because from what I understand, that's the thing when they're locked into it, because, let's see, we're what, Gen X, right?
A
Yeah, we're Gen X.
B
Like, consider watching movies. Like, we all watch freaking movies. Dumb movies too, by the way. Scary movies, you know, whatever. It's like, it's not necessarily bad for you. But this is from what I understand. It's like if you. If me and you and, you know, let's say our wives, our families, we're all watching a movie, we all share that experience together. When you're locked into, like, a screen, you're essentially blocking out the rest of the world, you know, And I guess that can have, like, some effects. So I think. I think this is very general because, you know, this face. It is a lot of details in this kind of stuff. If they're intentional, which they are, they're gonna be just fine because you're not using it, actively using it as a babysitter. See what I'm saying?
A
Yeah, totally agree.
B
It's gonna be fine.
A
Good to go.
B
Good to go.
A
Keep getting after it.
B
Yeah, but. But we do fall into that, I think, a lot.
A
Oh, no, you definitely. Modern parents can fall into, like, all right, just give them the iPad.
B
Well, yeah, yeah, fully. And on the other side, too, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But I'm just saying, like, you know, if you be conscious of these kinds of things, because you can read, whether it be on the Internet or on the news or whatever, they're like, oh, yeah, screen time. They just say screen time, but screen time is very broad. So they just will say, hey, screen time, bad. So then now they'll feel guilty if the kid is enjoying, like, literally a movie on the TV, one that's like, you know, since 19 freaking 20 or whatever movie's been out, you know, kind of a thing.
A
Jack, good to go. So that is a little excerpt of what we are doing on the Jocko Underground podcast. So if you want to continue to listen, go to jockounderground.com and subscribe. And we're doing this. We're doing this to mitigate our reliance on external platforms so we are not subject to their control. And we are doing this so that we can support the Jocko podcast, which will remain as is free for all as long as we can keep it that way. But we are doing this so we don't have to be under the control of sponsors, and we're doing it so we can give you more control, more interaction, more direct connections, better communications with us. And to do that, we're building a website right now where we'll be able to utilize to strengthen this legion of troopers that are in the game with us. So thank you. It's Jocko underground dot com. It costs $8.18 a month. And if you can't afford to support us, we can still support you. Just email assistance@jocko underground, dotcom, and we'll get you taken care of. Until then, we will see you mobilized underground.
Episode Title: Is Kids' Screen Time Stunting Their Development?
Date: April 6, 2026
Host: Jocko Willink
Co-host: Echo Charles
In this episode, Jocko Willink and Echo Charles tackle a listener's question about balancing work, parenting, and kids' screen time. The episode focuses on whether limited and intentional screen use can harm child development, particularly for parents striving to build discipline and good habits in active, healthy households. The conversation dives into generational shifts, the nature of screen content, and offers practical, real-world advice on parenting in the digital age.
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Jocko and Echo provide a grounded, reassuring take for parents worried about screen time. Their main point: if you’re being intentional, providing a healthy structure, and using screens sparingly for the right reasons, you’re on the right path. Occasional, educational TV is not something to feel guilty about—especially when weighed against the pressures of modern parenting. Be conscious, plan for more engaging activities as your child grows, and keep getting after it.