Let me be clear: I have no qualms about my kids using technology. In theory, it’s all good. But sometimes, you just need a breather. A quiet car ride, a moment to yourself, or maybe just a quick trip to the bathroom without an audience. So, hand over the iPad or your phone, and voilà! You’ve bought yourself a precious 20 minutes to make a drink—maybe even two—because let’s face it, you know you’ll want another one later. I honestly don’t know how parents survived without the distraction that today’s technology offers.
Plus, let’s be real—there’s no escaping screens these days. They’re a part of life, essential for both daily routines and future career prospects. Everyone has a phone or a computer, and so do all of our friends, and likely our kids’ friends, too. They’re even using tech in elementary school! It’s just how things are now, and it’s only going to become even more entrenched in our lives.
The real concern is how much screen time they’re getting and what else they’re doing. My eldest is 6, so thankfully, the more concerning issues like inappropriate content aren’t on the table yet. My partner and I pride ourselves on setting limits—like one episode of a show before dinner or 20 minutes of gaming in the morning.
Or at least we used to be good at it. Since our second child arrived in January, our resolve has weakened. We just don’t have the energy to constantly supervise our oldest, especially if it means sneaking in some much-needed sleep or giving the baby a bath. It often feels like he’s glued to a screen, and honestly, sometimes it’s too much.
Sure, we share the same anxieties as every other parent: “Is he losing brain cells?” It’s a blend of paranoia and that classic “back in my day” mentality since we didn’t grow up with this tech. No matter how hooked we are on our phones (guilty!), it’s still unsettling to see your 6-year-old become overly fixated on a game, even if he balances it with outdoor play and other activities. The potential for it to turn into an addiction is what really freaks me out.
I don’t like the version of my child that emerges after too much time on a device. Even with several warnings and established time limits, when it’s time to unplug, you’d think I was asking him to give up his favorite toy! He gets so zoned out that he doesn’t even hear me, and once the game is over, it’s like watching a mini-drama unfold—cue the five stages of grief. It’s wild.
This reaction tells me we’re not managing screen time as well as we should be. With a new baby in the house, we’ve allowed certain things to slip for the sake of sanity and sleep. After all, parents need a break too! But those screens are really getting their hooks into him. While it’s not all that different from how TV captivated us as kids, it’s still alarming, and we want to address it.
That means we need to get serious about enforcing limits, not letting our son’s protests slide when his time is up, and encouraging him to explore other activities—playing outdoors, building with Legos, or tapping into his imagination instead of letting the pixels entertain him. We need to ensure that when he plays with friends, they don’t just huddle together around a screen.
Oh boy, parenting is a lot of work! Maybe I should just invest in one of those crazy virtual reality headsets and call it a day. I’m exhausted.
In summary, it’s clear that as parents, we need to strike a balance with technology in our kids’ lives. While screens can provide a much-needed break, it’s essential to monitor usage and encourage other forms of play to ensure a well-rounded upbringing.