Megan Navarro
There’s been a new topic of conversation that has sparked in my household as of late: parenthood.
We are expecting our first child in August and lately, we have been talking about what kinds of parents we are going to be.
When you are the so-called “last” of the bunch who are having kids, you kind of get an outside perspective on how everyone else chooses to parent. You start thinking: “I like how they do [insert whatever it is]” or “I am not sure about that, how about this,” etc. But, of course, if you don’t agree with someone else’s parenting style — especially if you don’t have kids — it’s like a universal rule to keep your opinions to yourself.
One thing that I have been seeing consistently across my feed over the last few weeks is how technology comes into play.
A 2025 report conducted by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that 49% of parents rely on screens daily because, more often than not, they are faced with childcare challenges — one in four parents said they have used screens because they could not afford childcare. Also, the majority, or 81%, of children under 13 now have their own device, according to parents, and 59% began using screens by the age of 3.
Those who were surveyed for the report believe that on average, 4.5 years old is a healthy age to start screen time. They also believe that nine hours per week is ideal, but that number has increased to heights of 21 hours, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one hour of screen time per day for children 2 to 5 years old.
These numbers are alarming.
I have seen parents resort to pulling out either their own phones, or a designated iPad, to their child at a restaurant if they start screaming or acting up, but also just because. This has become a very controversial topic in today’s world because we are surrounded by technology, even schools have been encompassing it into the curriculum for years. But, to me, I don’t think that should be the solution.
My husband and I have also already talked about when we would give our daughter her first cellphone. Personally, for us, we have thought back to when we were younger; both of us didn’t get our first cellphone until we were in at least high school, from what I recall, and that was either a basic flip phone or something handed down to us by an older sibling.
So, when thinking about what we would do with our daughter, we would probably do the same thing. If there is a safety concern, we would give her a basic flip phone, so that she is still able to contact us in the event of an emergency.
However, in our opinion, giving children iPhones or iPads before they can fully comprehend the responsibility that they hold for their own safety — because even if you put parental controls on those devices, there is a likelihood that something can go wrong — is not a good idea.
Lastly, low-stimulating TV shows have also been at the forefront of my mind. I’m talking about back in the '90s and early 2000s when the shows that parents would turn on for their children were calmer without overwhelming your senses.
To name a few, I enjoyed being encompassed in the adventures of “Dragon Tales,” watching the creation of the bunny cakes on “Max and Ruby” and learning the same lessons as “Franklin.” As I said in one of my previous columns back in February, let’s bring back the nostalgia that was '90s TV, for both adults and children.
I want to be the parent that encourages my children to literally go touch grass; as someone with a more stationery job, I know what a good few minutes outside in the sun can do for your mental health. While I am pro-low-stimulating shows, I also don’t want them to be glued to the television; I want them to go participate in other activities, whether that is getting involved in sports, embracing their creativity in theatre/art or whatever it may be.
Ultimately, everyone has their own parenting style and, while I say all of this now, I could very well change my mind. I just hope that even through a technologically-advanced world, we can all learn and teach what it means to step away from it when it becomes too much.
Navarro is the executive editor for the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch. She can be reached by emailing [email protected].
