Let’s admit it. We never grew up with an iPhone, Facebook, Snapchat, and Cookies following us around the internet. Hell, some of us only used dial-up in adulthood! But we know that tech has changed EVERYTHING about how we do and relate with EVERYTHING. So, let’s stop pretending that we know all of the answers. By creating a fear around screentime, bad habits are forming and we are giving POWER to something that requires education, understanding, and engagement to truly empower our kids. Also, we are the culprits! We need to take a hard look at how we PERSONALLY are using technology. They say parenting is 80% modeling. Screentime is that age old hypocrisy of “Do as I say, not as I DO” in action.

We need a new way of talking about technology with our kids!

Don’t you want to switch the conversation on screentime? I do. I don’t want to feel bad for letting my kid watch a little iPad while I fix dinner. I’m happy that she is exploring something cool, and I’m proud when she can chase an interest on the internet without getting distracted.

There is beauty, discovery, connection, and invention in screen time. Go to any primary school near you. Groups of boys and girls are huddled over smartphones laughing or high-fiving over something one of the kids have made or discovered – an avatar doing the floss with a goofy face, or a YouTube video of a monstrous mound of slime made with 10 pounds of glitter.

Let’s talk about screentime like grooming or good hygiene. It’s a really important healthy habit that we need to know how to do, and how to do well.

We are imperfect parents raising kids in an imperfect world, and when it comes to the constantly changing technology, it feels like we are playing catch-up. Truthfully, we are never going to stay ahead of our kids!

So, let’s get back to basics, and talk about what our real goals in screentime.