Feeling Guilty About a Parenting Choice? ZOOM OUT.

If you’ve ever handed your child a screen and then instantly questioned yourself—
"Was that too long?"
"Was it the right thing?"
"Am I doing enough?"

You’re not alone.

As parents, we tend to zoom in on individual moments—one show, one iPad handoff, one meltdown—and use them as a measuring stick for how we’re doing.
But parenting isn’t defined by isolated choices.
It’s shaped by the totality of our days. The values we lead with.
And the connection our kids feel when the screen turns off.

When it comes to screen time after age 2, the truth is:
It shouldn’t be their whole life.
But it can be a meaningful part of it.

And I was reminded of that recently, rushing to get ready for an event in NYC.
Emails. Outfits. School pickup. Mom life. Work life. All of it colliding.

Ryaan jumped into the car full of questions after pick-up:

“Where are we going?”
“Can I come?”
“Can I help?”

My brain was maxed out. So, I brought him into my office—our all-purpose everything room—and gave him the iPad.

But I didn’t hand it to him with guilt.
I handed it to him with intention.

We have the Lingokids app—and it’s quickly become the only educational app we use.
That day, he scrolled through the fresh options (his latest obsession: the NASA space lessons), picked a new one based on his past activity, and dove in.

A few minutes later, while it was silent and he was learning and I was working; he looked up and said: “I love you.”

I smiled. “Why?”
“Because you’re so nice and happy.”

That’s what he sees.
Not a stressed, distracted parent.
But a calm, connected one—because I gave myself a moment to breathe without sacrificing what mattered. We did our work, shut down our devices and were completely present with each other after this moment. 

That’s the power of zooming out.
Of replacing guilt with clarity.
Of making screen time intentional—not shameful.

And that was exactly the conversation I had in NYC (pictured above), where I joined Lingokids to launch their latest campaign:

The Trial by Lingokids, which puts parenting guilt around screen time on trial—and calls us to look at the bigger picture.

📊 More than 74% of parents feel guilty about screen time
📊 1 in 4 say that guilt affects their mental health
📊 Yet fewer than 10% talk about it frequently 

But here’s the truth: Not all screen time is guilt free, but guilt-free screen time exists. And when we focus on the totality of a child’s day—not just the screen moments—we make space for peace, confidence, and connection.

And that’s why Lingokids works for our family.
✔️ It’s 100% ad-free on the free and paid versions
✔️ Suggests fresh activities based on your child’s age, level, and interests
✔️ Co-developed content with Oxford University Press and NASA
✔️ Teaches real-life skills like empathy, routines, and resilience amongst educational modules. 

It’s not screen time for the sake of screen time.
It’s learning. It’s curiosity. It’s trust.
And when Vera is older, I’ll introduce her to it, too—because I’ve seen how it supports growth and helps me show up better.

So let’s zoom out.
Let’s stop tracking every minute and start asking:
🧠 Is this aligned with my values?
🧠 Is my child supported?
🧠 Am I supported, too?

If the answer is yes, then there’s no guilt needed.
Just presence, intention, and peace of mind.

🎬 Check out the short film The Trial by Lingokids—a moving look at the invisible weight parents carry especially when making choices around technology. Heads up: You might need tissues.

This newsletter is a paid partnership with LingoKids. Of note, I only partner with brands I use, recommend, or believe in their educational mission. Grateful that LingoKids checks all of those boxes.