I took my daughter to dance class this week and couldn’t help but overhear another mom talking about her family’s schedule. Her daughter was signed up for dance, gymnastics, swim, karate, and Girl Scouts—something every day, five days a week. As she described their routine, I found myself feeling exhausted just listening. It sounded less like a childhood and more like a full-time job.  Now, I’m not here to judge—because let’s be real, we’re all just doing the best we can for our babies. But it got me thinking: could this be doing more harm than good? And honestly, let’s not forget—it’s exhausting for us too!

As a parent in today’s digital world, I often face tricky questions. One that’s been on my mind lately is: Am I being unfair by not allowing my children to use social media while I still use it myself?

It’s a valid question and one that many parents are quietly wrestling with. After all, social media is woven into the fabric of our daily lives — from staying in touch with friends to keeping up with news and even managing work responsibilities. But when it comes to our children, we often hesitate. Why is that?

Let’s be real: screens are everywhere. Tablets, phones, TVs, gaming consoles — they’ve become part of daily life, not just for us as adults but for our kids, too. And while I’m not here to demonize screen time (because hello, sometimes an episode of Bluey is the only thing standing between me and total meltdown), I’ve been on a mission lately to find a better balance.

I want my kids to know the joy of building a fort out of couch cushions, getting lost in a make-believe world, or simply running around outside until they’re out of breath. Unplugged play is where so much magic happens — and honestly, it’s where kids develop some of their most important life skills.