Dopamine Kids: It’s Not a Willpower Problem | Michaeleen Doucleff (EP439)

In this conversation, science journalist and former biochemist Michaeleen Doucleff (author of Hunt, Gather, Parent and Dopamine Kids) reframes everything we think we know about dopamine. It’s not a “feel-good” chemical - it’s a system that drives wanting and seeking, which today’s ultra-processed foods and digital apps are designed to exploit.

We discuss why willpower alone doesn’t work, how to “curate cues” inside your home, and practical ways to retrain your family’s dopamine system - from screen-free rhythms to pairing foods for better satiety. Michaeleen shares how to create a home sanctuary that protects sleep, focus, and connection, while staying flexible in the real world.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.

• Diane's Resource: Minimalism with Kids (and Beyond) with Diane Boden
• Book: Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence
• Connect with Michaeleen:
• Website
• Book: Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child's Brain and Take Back Your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Foods

About Michaeleen |

Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD, has reported on children’s health for NPR’s science desk for more than a decade. In 2015, she was part of the team that earned a George Foster Peabody Award for its coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. She has a doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor of science from the California Institute of Technology. Before joining NPR, Doucleff completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. She lives with her husband and daughter in Alpine, Texas, and is the author of the New York Times bestseller Hunt, Gather, Parent and Dopamine Kids.

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