The Waiting Game Isn't Enough: A Plea for Proactive Digital Wellness

An Opening Essay | MediaEd Insights | Pause2MAP Edition | April 2026

Written by Michelle Hirschy

For seventeen years, I have been the person on the other side of the closed office door. From my years as a school counselor to my current role as a PreK-12 Director of Wellness, I have been the safe harbor when group chats turn suddenly cruel, when the endless spiral of comparison breeds anxiety, and when a single, permanently captured screenshot comes to define a child’s social worth.

Wait Until 8th?: Mothers' decision-making and management of children's smartphones in the United States

A Research Brief | MediaEd Insights | Pause2MAP Edition | April 2026

Written by Susannah Stern

Original Article: Stern, S. R. (2025). Wait Until 8th?: Mothers’ decision-making and management of children’s smartphones in the United States. Journal of Children and Media, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2025.2567278

Student-Led Media Literacy Legislation in California

A Case Study | MediaEd Insights | Pause2MAP Edition | April 2026

Written by Elise Choi

Elise is a California high school junior and a Research Fellow at the Media Education Lab. 

Research Beginnings

How “Pause2MAP” Compares

A Curriculum Review | MediaEd Insights | Pause2MAP Edition | April 2026

Written by Lucas Jacob

Luke Jacob reviewed Common Sense Media and other wellbeing curriculum and concluded why Pause2MAP is different in its holistic approach.