I am not “anti-technology”; I am Tech-Intentional™. We all know that screen-based technology can be amazing. There are so many ways that it can improve our lives. But things get complicated, especially when it comes to children, whose brains are very different from adult brains.

Here is my philosophy about children, parenting, and screentime:

• Real-world connection to our children is key to our success in setting and sticking to screentime limits.

• A little screentime is okay, and a lot is too much. It’s about balance. Not all screentime is the same.

• Nuance is key. What works for one family may not work for another. That’s okay.

• Children learn best through hands-on, 3-D, tactile experiences in the context of human relationships. How parents use screens directly impacts how children use screens. Our adult behavior matters.

• We must replace judgment with curiosity. This is hard.

• When we know better, we do better, and we are constantly growing and learning. And that is a powerful example to set for our children.

Previous parenting generations never had to deal with screentime battles. It is not like the TV-watching and video games of our childhood (see: persuasive design, streaming services, the internet, etc.). And the impact of excessive screen use on our children’s brains and emotional health is significantly different. In fact, I believe that we are fighting for our children’s future cognitive, mental, emotional, and physical development when we tackle the screentime challenges in childhood. It is that important.