T<\/span>oday\u2019s children are digital natives. They have never known a world without smartphones, streaming entertainment, social media, video games, and instant access to information. Many parents\u2014and especially grandparents\u2014are more like digital immigrants. We entered this world later, sometimes with curiosity, sometimes reluctantly, and often without a map.<\/p>\n That difference can make technology feel like a source of conflict between generations. Yet parents and grandparents do not need to understand every app, trend or gaming platform to have a meaningful influence. What children need most is not another technology expert. They need caring adults who provide perspective, boundaries and genuine connection.<\/p>\n Adults often begin conversations about technology with criticism: \u201cYou are always on that phone.\u201d Children immediately hear judgment and prepare to defend themselves.<\/p>\n Curiosity opens a different door. Ask, \u201cWhat do you enjoy about that game?\u201d \u201cWho do you like talking with online?\u201d or \u201cWhat makes that app so interesting?\u201d A grandchild may be delighted to demonstrate a game, explain a trend or share a favorite video.<\/p>\n You do not have to pretend to love the technology. The goal is to understand what it provides. For one child, gaming may offer accomplishment. For another, social media may create belonging. Understanding the need behind the behavior makes it easier to help the child meet that need in healthier ways.<\/p>\n Children are more likely to accept digital boundaries when adults follow them too. A rule requiring phones to be put away during dinner will feel unfair if the adults continue checking messages.\nFamilies can establish a few simple, predictable expectations:<\/p>\n Explain that boundaries are not punishments. They protect sleep, attention, relationships and time for other parts of life. Whenever possible, involve children and teens in creating the family plan.<\/p>\n Young people are more cooperative when they understand the reason for a limit and have some voice in how it works.<\/p>\n Technology offers immediate relief from boredom, loneliness, disappointment and anxiety. A child can escape an uncomfortable feeling with a swipe or click. Over time, however, constantly avoiding discomfort can make ordinary emotions feel harder to manage.<\/p>\n Adults can help children build emotional resilience by allowing feelings to exist without immediately trying to fix them. Try saying, \u201cI can see that this is disappointing,\u201d or \u201cIt makes sense that you feel left out.\u201d<\/p>\n Then help the child decide what to do next: take a walk, call a friend, listen to music, cook, create something or simply sit together. Resilience grows through repeated experiences of feeling discomfort and discovering, \u201cI can handle this.\u201d<\/p>\n Removing a device without offering connection leaves an empty space. Instead of focusing only on what children should stop doing, create something inviting for them to join.<\/p>\n Grandparents are especially well positioned to do this. Teach a family recipe. Look through old photographs. Garden, build something, play cards, take a walk or invite a grandchild to help plan an outing. Tell stories about childhood, mistakes, friendships and lessons learned.<\/p>\n These experiences do not need to be elaborate. Even a regular drive, breakfast date or Sunday phone call can become a meaningful ritual.<\/p>\n Technology itself is not the enemy. It can encourage creativity, learning, humor and relationships across distance. The goal is not to return children to a world that no longer exists. It is to help them live well in the world they have inherited.<\/p>\n Digital natives still need guidance from digital immigrants. They need adults who are interested in their world but grounded in timeless values: sleep, balance, responsibility, conversation and love.<\/p>\n The strongest boundary is not a parental-control setting. It is a relationship in which a child knows there is always someone available to listen, guide, and reconnect.<\/p>\n How parents and grandparents can help children build a healthier relationship with technology<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[222,223],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2026","category-fall-2026-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17646"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17719,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17646\/revisions\/17719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Look Beyond the Number of Hours<\/h3>\n
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Replace Interrogation with Curiosity<\/h3>\n
Create Boundaries That Apply to Everyone<\/h3>\n
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Help Children Tolerate Uncomfortable Feelings<\/h3>\n
Make Real Life Worth Logging Off For<\/h3>\n
Connection Is the Best Protection<\/h3>\n
Dr. Candice Feinberg is a licensed clinical psychologist, nationally recognized teen mental health expert, and CEO & Co-Founder of ROWI Teen & Parent Wellness Centers<\/a>. She specializes in adolescent mental health, family dynamics, parenting, anxiety, depression, and technology addiction, and is dedicated to helping children, teens, and families build resilience and achieve lasting emotional wellness<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"