Do Parents Cause the Screen Time Problem? Guilty as Charged

Are you the kind of parent who proudly buys the latest phone, tablet, or gaming console — and then complains that the kids are always glued to it? I am. Guilty as charged.

Here is the thing about parenting: sometimes we unintentionally set up the very situations we later get frustrated about. We give our children the devices. We install the apps. We even walk them through how everything works. Then, a few months down the line, we are the ones complaining about screen time, online gaming, and how they never go outside anymore.

But let us be honest — who created that setup in the first place?

The same pattern shows up in other areas too. Think about food. Who was it that introduced the fast food in the beginning? The chicken nuggets, the fries, the combo meals? Most likely, it was us. Parents say yes out of convenience, or to make a long day a little easier. But later, we question why our kids only want junk food.

We cannot offer things on a silver platter and then act surprised when they take them. Kids are not in charge of the household. They do not shop for phones or decide what is for dinner. They respond to what we allow, what we model, and what we provide.

This is not about endless guilt or blaming ourselves at every turn. Parenting is hard, and sometimes shortcuts are necessary. But maybe it is time to be a little more honest about where some of these habits come from. Many of the patterns we complain about — whether it is constant screen time, poor eating habits, or lack of physical activity — often started with decisions we made.

Kids are doing what kids do. They enjoy what they are given. They follow the path we lay out.

The solution does not need to be dramatic. It starts with awareness. A little more balance. A few more boundaries. Some honest conversations — with ourselves and with them. The goal is not perfection. The goal is progress.

So yes, I am guilty of handing over the devices and then getting annoyed when they are used too much. But admitting that is the first step. Because once we see our role in the problem, we are in a better position to help fix it.