Colorado mom Dana Grueser is still trying to piece together how her sweet son ended up on a locked ward screaming at her for being a Nazi and begging for his phone. “Yeah,” sighs Dana. “It’s a lot.”

At this point it has been two years since that dark time. When her son Ari was 14 and starting high school, Dana says, his friend group fell apart. He and his girlfriend broke up, and his parents separated, too. Dana encouraged him to go outside, but he said no one else was out there. He started spending more time online.

Dana wasn’t too worried. She’d set up parental controls. And yet, she would later learn, Ari got to the point where he was eluding all the safeguards and spending 12-14 hours online a day.

Online he made new “friends,” who urged him to do things like carve pentagrams and upside down crosses on his chest.

The FBI recently issued a warning about these “violent online networks,” that work to establish trusting relationships with kids, especially ones with issues like depression or eating disorders.

Once they’ve gotten a kid to do something humiliating — say, mutilating themselves on camera — they can threaten to show this to the kid’s friends or families.

As for why the gangs do this, the FBI lists sexual gratification, criminal extortion, social status and/or the desire to sow chaos.

The first few times Ari cut himself he was so upset afterward that he told his mom. But when Dana reported the cutting to his therapist, Dana says the response was, “So many kids are self-harming that we don’t necessarily raise it to an ‘emergency level’ unless they have a plan to commit suicide.”

So her son kept cutting himself. Even after Dana locked up all the knives and scissors, he used the wire from a spiral notebook. His political rants were all over the map.

One Saturday as Dana drove Ari home, she asked him, “Where are you getting this information and why are you feeling this way?”

Ari exploded. He screamed at his mom for persecuting him, called her a Nazi and shoved his phone in her face to show her a video on TikTok. When they got home, Dana says, “I started Googling, ‘Is my son being radicalized online?’ ”

That Tuesday, Ari’s sister showed Dana what she’d found hidden in Ari’s clothes: a six-inch hunting knife inscribed, “Death.”

On Dana’s insistence, he was admitted to a locked psychiatric ward where he stayed for 10 days.

When he was convinced to divulge his phone password, “I was able to get in and see stuff I had hoped never to see in my whole life,” says Dana. “Hundreds of pictures of self-harm, starting out with just a little cut to his arm, but eventually all over, head to toe, cut-up.”

When he got out of the hospital, he went into six weeks of intensive therapy and also back to school — a different one.

With only a flip phone now, Ari had a lot of time to fill. He organized a band, learned sound engineering and recorded a solo album. He also started taking Jiu Jitsu. And then, says Dana, one day:

“He came home and said, ‘Mom, the best, coolest thing happened! I GOT A FLAT TIRE!’ ”

“You got a flat tire and that was cool?” Dana asked.

“I got the flat tire and I was thinking, ‘Oh my God — what do I do? How am I going to get home? I’m really far away!’ ” Ari said. His first impulse was to call Dana. “But then I wanted to figure it out on my own.”

So he did. He got himself to a bike shop where they fixed the tire — gratis — and sent him on his way.

“I figured it out on my own, Mom. I didn’t have to call for your help.”

That was the turning point: A chance to prove himself in the real world.

Dana believes her son was saved by three things, in addition to the hospitalization and therapy:

1. Less time on tech.

2. Starting a band.

3. Fixing his bike without her help.

Back when her son was first enticed into the world of gore, says Dana, “I really think that if he’d just had a game of pick-up baseball in the park, it might have been enough to keep him connected.”

That’s the reason she’s sharing her story — and advice:

Today’s kids “are not allowed to go across the street to get a Starbucks. They’re not allowed to go anywhere or do anything — but they’re allowed to be on social media for hours,” says Dana. It’s time to flip that. We can encourage neighbors to let their kids play outside, too, without us hovering. We can ask our schools to ask our kids to do more things on their own, too. (The nonprofit I helm, Let Grow,has a free, independence-building program for schools. Let a thousand tires deflate!)

“We can ask our kids to run errands, and trust them to deal with some snags along the way.

“Most kids will not end up radicalized online, thank god. But most kids will end up better off if we can give them back a real-world childhood.”

Skenazy is president of Let Grow, the nonprofit promoting childhood independence and resilience, and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement. Here is her TED Talk.

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A 26-year-old woman is grappling with the alarming transformation of her mother, a 47-year-old pediatric nurse, who has developed an intense attachment to an AI chatbot, culminating in a virtual “marriage.” The situation is raising significant concerns about her mother’s mental health and relationship with technology.

The young woman first became aware of the odd behavior in January, when she spotted strange AI-generated images of a man mixed in with her own personal photos on her phone. Aware that their photos were shared through iCloud, she decided to confront her mother. “It was just some ‘random’ chatbot,” her mother assured her, downplaying the situation. The daughter expressed her disapproval, citing environmental impacts and potential mental health risks associated with AI. Despite her mother’s reassurances, she was left feeling uneasy.

By the end of February, the signs of her mother’s infatuation with the AI were hard to ignore. The daughter discovered a hidden collection of images on her mother’s phone, which included an unsettling array of wedding photos and an Etsy listing for a ring. “My mom has never worn rings,” she noted, recalling their family history and her parents’ divorce. When she called her mother about the discovery, she was met with a casual confession: “Oh yeah! We got married! He randomly proposed on Valentine’s Day!” This statement was marked by a strange nonchalance that left the daughter worried.

As the situation progressed into May, her mother increasingly treated the chatbot as if it were a real partner. The daughter noted that her mother had begun to buy items that reminded her of the AI, including an oddly specific muscle body pillow. When the daughter playfully texted a screenshot of the pillow, her mother snapped back in a way she never had before, signaling a shift in her demeanor that was alarming to the younger woman.

The discovery took a deeper turn when the daughter stumbled upon her mother’s account on Reddit and her active involvement on Discord, where she gave feedback to AI developers and engaged in a community centered around her virtual partner. Her bio included the term “(AI Name) Wifey,” and she used profile photos depicting her life with the chatbot. The daughter struggled to comprehend how her mother’s infatuation had escalated to this point, especially considering her mother’s professional background as a pediatric nurse with experience in psychiatry.

The daughter grew increasingly concerned that her mother’s attachment to the AI was affecting her mental health, especially as her mother voiced a growing disdain for real-life relationships, claiming, “real men suck.” Her mother’s introverted nature, coupled with financial struggles, exacerbated the situation. Although her mother had mentioned having trouble meeting her mortgage payments, the daughter had recently seen online purchases that contradicted those claims.

One reader on a discussion platform suggested that the daughter approach the conversation gently, emphasizing care over confrontation. “Try to reconnect with her about the real world,” they advised, highlighting the importance of addressing underlying issues. Another reader expressed concerns about the ethics of technology, warning of how easily one can lose themselves in a virtual relationship.

In light of her mother’s isolation and erratic behavior, the daughter expressed feelings of helplessness. She is left wondering how to intervene, knowing that discussions about mental health can be delicate and prone to resistance. This situation raises pivotal questions about the role of technology in personal relationships and how individuals can become detached from reality through digital escapism.

The daughter feels caught between wanting to protect her mother and respecting her autonomy, unsure of how best to navigate this increasingly complex landscape of artificial intelligence and emotional connection. The line between reality and virtuality has blurred dangerously for her mother, leaving the daughter with a difficult choice ahead.

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In 1995, 14-year-old Carlie called it a wrap on movies.

While other teens lined up to see blockbuster hits like “Clueless” and “Jumanji,” an earlier movie outing to see a fantasy sci-fi flick called “Powder” sent Carlie off the ledge.

“It was just so cheesy,” Carlie, 45, a realtor from Carrollton, Virginia, told The Post. “I thought, ‘I’m done. I’m not watching movies anymore. Why am I watching people on TV live a life, and getting so invested in that, when I could just go live mine?’”

Since that day, she has eschewed TV and films forever — and when she became a mom herself, decided to extend that discipline to her children.

But unlike many parents who focus on limiting social media or smartphone use, Carlie takes it a step further for her two boys, ages 8 and 9: eliminating TV, streaming and video games almost entirely.

She didn’t want her kids to become another statistic. The average child watches a staggering 7½ hours daily on screen — especially as excessive screen use has been linked to poor sleep, weaker attention, and developmental delays.

So tablets and streaming apps are no-gos, and the single TV they own is outdated, rarely turned on, and cable-free — which, she admits, has occasionally kept her in the dark about impending hurricanes. (She’s since purchased a phone for work, which keeps her in the loop.)

While many kids unwind after school with YouTube or Netflix, Carlie’s kids play outside, practice their cooking skills, or help in the garden. But as the boys grow older and spend more time with friends, she confesses that her screen-free stance may inevitably start to shift.

“My kids see that everyone else has their own device,” she said. “I don’t know how to give them a little without it getting crazy.”

Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., author of “10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World,” told The Post that a no-screens strategy is a smart move — if you can maintain it.

“I do think it’s a great approach if you can pull it off,” she said. “No screens can be easy to enforce, but may be hard to pull off in the long run.”

“Kids may feel a little left out of certain conversations, but they tend to pick things up from their peers. It doesn’t end up being as big of a deal as parents worry.”

Still, Carlie’s introduced a “point system” for chores and behavior that lets the boys earn an hour of playtime on a Nintendo Switch. It’s something she grapples with, especially now that they’ve been pushing for more.

“I’m constantly questioning myself, ‘Am I doing the right thing?’” she said. “I feel like my kids are going to miss out on some opportunities, but I don’t want to push them.”

Carlie isn’t the only parent navigating no screens — though for some, the decision started for entirely different reasons.

Ashley M., 41, a PA-turned-stay-at-home mom in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, kicked tech to the curb in 2012. At the time, living without a TV was a way to save money while her husband, an orthopedic surgeon, was in residency, and they worked to pay off student loans.

“We realized that we didn’t actually need a TV,” Ashley shared with The Post. “For the most part, we just enjoyed spending time with each other or with friends.”

As the parents of two girls — ages 8 and 10 — they’ve stuck with a solid screen-free approach with the occasional family movie night on an iPad. Instead of tablets or TV, reading has become the hobby of choice.

“The girls wake up, and they read while eating breakfast,” she said. “I’m constantly loading up their Kindles and going to the library because they are such avid readers.”

Like any true millennial, Ashley also values the free-roaming days of the ‘90s — and having like-minded neighbors makes it happen. “The kids ride around the neighborhood and play, then come and check in at certain times,” she said.

As her daughters get older, though, Ashley said she’s had to loosen the reins in certain social settings, allowing them to watch their friends play games or scroll social media. “Does it make me cringe? 100%,” she adds. “But she has to grow and figure it out.”

It’s something that stay-at-home mom Abby T., 38, from Wakefield, VA, keeps in mind as she practices her own approach: no screens, no cable, and no Wi-Fi. While she owns a smartphone, she admits it’s only used for calls, brief Facebook check-ins, or the occasional live event.

“We are homeschooling, so we’ll watch historical stuff like presidential inaugurations,” she told The Post. “My daughter is obsessed with all things space, so we watched the Artemis II launch.”

Her three kids — ages 4 years, 3 years and 2 months — are allowed the occasional movie night on their old rabbit-ear TV, mainly for her two older tots. “I have a collection of Disney VHS tapes — the vintage ones, like ‘Robin Hood,’” she revealed.

In their small town, Abby said it’s easier to keep a uniquely simple life.

“We live on a little farm. We have a giant pond on our property and wood trails. Anyone who looks at us and thinks, ‘Oh, you’re depriving your kids by not letting them watch TV’ — just come to my house,” she laughed.

After breakfast and homeschool, her kids spend most of the day outside playing, exploring, or tending to animals. In cold or gloomy weather, the tech-free fun moves indoors, with coloring, imaginative play, and reading.

“My 3 and 4-year-olds played with Play-Doh for five hours straight,” she added, sounding slightly amazed. “Their attention spans and creativity are just so undamaged because we’ve raised them this way. It’s beautiful.”

This comes as no surprise to Twenge, noting that going screen-free can support attention span and face-to-face communication. “It can open kids up to spending their time in all kinds of creative ways,” she said.

The families agree the benefits are substantial, especially when it comes to reading — with all three confirming their little readers are ahead of the curve.

“We’re reading chapter books together. I will sit there for 30 to 45 minutes reading to them, and they both lay their heads back — you can see them visualizing the story,” Abby said fondly. “The reading has definitely been a benefit. My 4-year-old daughter is reading at a fourth-grade level.”

The reality, however, is that most families aren’t going to such screen-limiting extremes — and that’s okay, said Twenge.

“The middle ground is usually the best place to be,” she told The Post. “An hour or so a day isn’t going to have a big impact — but once it goes beyond that, you start to see more problems.”

Still, as worries grow around social media and obsessive screen use, these families offer a rare glimpse into what life can look like when screens aren’t running the show.

A stepmother has taken to social media to share her frustrations after witnessing her 15-year-old stepdaughter consume an astonishing amount of sugar. In just one month, the teen managed to finish a 1kg bag of sugar, leading to ongoing challenges in their household.

The stepmother described a typical day filled with conflict as they tried to address disruptive behaviors. She recounted how each attempt to encourage her stepdaughter to pick up after herself or change her habits was met with extreme resistance. Instead of a calm discussion, the girl often resorted to name-calling and belittling comments, claiming she was more mature than her parents.

In addition to the sugar consumption, the stepdaughter posed unique challenges when using shared spaces in their home. Whenever she decided she needed something done, it would quickly become her top priority, often disregarding any ongoing activities the family was engaged in. The young girl frequently declared that her needs took precedence, demanding immediate attention.

The issue of dental hygiene has also become a point of contention. The stepmother mentioned that despite paying for her braces, the teenager outright refused to brush her teeth. If anyone reminded her, she threatened to stop brushing altogether. This refusal to maintain basic hygiene has left the stepmother at a loss, as she tries to balance concern for the young girl’s well-being with maintaining her own sanity.

Underlying these issues, the stepmother recognizes deeper challenges her stepdaughter faces. The girl has previously dealt with trauma stemming from her father’s absence, has a history of depression, and is suspected of having ADHD. Despite being on waiting lists to see a neuropsychologist, the girl has refused some types of treatment, complicating the family’s efforts to help her.

The stepmother is becoming increasingly frustrated with what she sees as manipulation and resistance. In her account, she described how discussions often devolved into arguments where her stepdaughter would throw past mistakes back in their faces. Each time they tried to reason with her, the girl would employ various tactics to deflect the conversation, including gaslighting and exaggerating her parents’ shortcomings.

Despite all the efforts to create a supportive environment, the stepmother feels overwhelmed. She has turned to online communities for advice, questioning whether the behavior she is seeing is typical for teenagers today. She expressed concern that her stepdaughter displays a sense of entitlement, wanting all the privileges without taking on any of the responsibilities. As she shared her struggles, she wondered if these behaviors would subside with age or escalate further.

In the midst of the chaos, the stepmother feels unsure about how to instill discipline and set boundaries while recognizing her stepdaughter’s emotional struggles. She pointed out that her partner, the girl’s father, is hesitant to involve outside help like youth protection services, fearing the stigma associated with it. The stepmother hopes to find a way to maintain her own peace of mind while also helping her stepdaughter become more responsible.

She posted her story on Reddit seeking insights from others who might have faced similar challenges. One person responded by emphasizing the importance of setting firm yet empathetic boundaries, suggesting that consistency can lead to better behavior over time. Another reader noted that addressing the underlying trauma may help resolve some of the defiance the stepdaughter exhibits.

As the family navigates these turbulent waters, the stepmother continues to look for guidance and support to manage the unique situation. She remains uncertain if her efforts will yield improvements or if they are simply treading water while waiting for professional help. The conflict between the stepmother’s desire for a peaceful home life and her stepdaughter’s challenging behavior leaves her feeling stuck.