A few weeks ago, we asked parent Jesse Bennett what she hopes her kids will remember about their childhood, and what role technology plays in those memories. Her answer opened up a bigger question for us about parenting in the digital age:
“Playing a game together. Watching silly reels. Movie night. It’s definitely not a tech-free house by any means, but I think that they’ll choose their boundaries and how they want to interact with it.”
What does always-on technology add to family life—and what does it take away? Does having the entire internet at our fingertips make parenting easier, or more complicated?
In other words: how does technology shape the kind of parent you want to be?
For the past six months, we at the California Partners Project have been exploring that question here on Substack. We’ve asked parents and young people to share their perspectives. We’ve reflected on our own experiences and learned from educators, pediatricians, and other experts.
We came to Substack to share resources, and we’ve stayed because of this community. Thank you for welcoming us and for being here.
For the next few weeks, we’ll be stepping away to spend time with loved ones and recharge. We’ll resume publishing on July 11 with new interviews, fresh ideas on building healthier relationships with technology, and reflections on finding balance between the digital world and everyday life.
In the meantime, if you’re in the mood to revisit some of our favorite posts from the past six months, as well as some free resources from the California Partners Project and our partners, start here:
Parent perspectives
How to stop defaulting to screens.
How to parent through stress.
How to ask fifth graders about screen use.
How to talk to kids about romantic relationships.
How to support healthy relationships with food.
How to substitute sports for time online.
How to make space for screen-free hangouts.
Youth perspectives
How to meet emotional needs without a device.
How to stay grounded.
How to have more mindful meals.
How to navigate health content as a student athlete.
How to raise healthy boys online.
How to model digital literacy.
How to optimize for joy.
California Partners Project resources
Nourishing Mind & Body Guide
Movement & Outdoor Activity Guide
Social-Emotional Health Guide
Tech/Life Balance Report
California’s Phone-Free Schools Act: What Parent’s Need to Know
Resource Roundup: Smartphones in Schools
10 Tech Tips For Your Family
NEW Partner resources
AI Safety: Defining & Measuring Potential Harms of Chatbots from Stanford University
Building Better Platforms: a Youth-Led Guide to Age-Appropriate Digital Design from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Co-Design with Kids from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center
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