"What they craved wasn't just a screen; it was stimulation. Constant, effortless, on-demand. I saw it in myself, too. Between calls, I'd scroll. At night, I'd swipe. I was using tech the same way to soothe, to escape, to fill the space. I felt low-grade guilt. I was doing my best, but I was also on autopilot, performing for everyone and everything around me."
"I had to shift what I believed made a good parent I used to think my greatest gift to my daughters was showing them how much a woman could achieve. Now, I believe it's also showing them what it means to be present, to slow down, look someone in the eyes, listen fully, and choose connection over convenience. That's not a passive legacy. That's an active, intentional one. And in a world that rewards performance over presence, it takes awareness and courage to build it."
A parent turned to technology to entertain children while building a career, then recognized growing reliance on devices and increased impatience and intolerance of boredom. Children sought constant, effortless stimulation, and the parent used screens similarly to soothe and escape. This modeled distraction, overwhelm, and absence despite physical presence. Feelings of low-grade guilt prompted intentional changes focused on presence, attention, and habits. The parent shifted parenting priorities to value slowing down, eye contact, and full listening, and implemented household screen-time rules. Small, consistent changes produced meaningful improvements in family connection.
Read at Business Insider
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