January 4, 2026 — Episode #103
Content note: this episode includes a detailed account of a teenager who shot both of his parents, killing his mother, after they confiscated his video game.
Ringing in 2026, Jerry and Becky Drace open with reflections on New Year’s resolutions, encouraging families to reassess nutrition, media habits, and quality time together, and highlighting a recently deceased conservative commentator’s book “Stop in the Name of God” as an example of intentionally unplugging from devices for a weekly Sabbath.
The conversation then returns to their ongoing series on teenage addictions, wrapping up several weeks of discussion on gaming. Jerry recounts the true story of a 17-year-old who shot both of his parents after they took away his video game; his mother died, and he showed no remorse, asking only for his game back. The Draces use the account to illustrate how deeply gaming addiction can distort a young person’s emotional responses, discussing narcissistic and psychopathic personality traits associated with gaming culture and the importance of parental control apps built into smartphones. They talk through practical steps for setting device boundaries and knowing children’s friends and influences. The episode closes by introducing the next topic in their series on teen rebellion — isolation — which they promise to explore further the following week.
Topics discussed:
- New Year’s resolutions for family media habits and quality time
- A conservative commentator’s book on a technology “Sabbath”
- True story: teen who shot his parents over a confiscated video game
- Personality traits linked to gaming addiction
- Parental control apps and built-in smartphone monitoring tools
- Why parents shouldn’t defer to teens’ claims of digital “privacy”
- Introduction of isolation as the series’ next topic
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