Peace at Home Blog

Connected Kids: Break Screen Habits and Build Strong Families

May 2026 | Ruth Freeman

A few months ago, I was watching Oprah interview Dr. Anna Lembke, author of Dopamine Nation. I adore Oprah. So many decades ago she started talking about the hard stuff we humans face and she has never stopped. And Dr. Lembke is brilliant. Her work on addiction and the brain is incredibly important.

But as I watched the interview, something unexpected happened inside me.

I got frustrated. Really frustrated.

Oprah opened the conversation up to parents who were worried about their children’s relationships with screens, gaming, social media, and technology. The questions were heartfelt and urgent. Parents were clearly struggling. And while Dr. Lembke had important insights about addiction and dopamine, I found myself thinking:

“But where are the parenting expert voices?”

Where were the professionals who spend every day helping parents navigate the messy, emotional, complicated reality of raising kids in a digital world?

Where was the conversation about connection, attachment, boundaries, anxiety, family culture, and the everyday struggles parents face when screens become the center of family life?

And yes, I’ll admit it: I felt jealous.

Not because I wanted to be on Oprah (okay… maybe a little…or a lot). But because I wanted parents to hear something I know deeply after decades of working with families:

This is not a technology problem.
It’s a parenting challenge.
And parents deserve support and access to strategies based on science.

At Peace At Home Parenting, we work with families every single day who are overwhelmed by screens. Parents tell us they feel exhausted from fighting about devices. They worry their kids are anxious, disconnected, addicted to gaming, glued to social media, or simply missing out on real life.

And honestly? Most parents are trying really hard.

They don’t need more judgment or scary headlines. They need practical tools. They need reassurance. They need strategies that actually work in real homes with real children. They need hope.

That moment watching Oprah became a spark for me. I immediately started thinking about the kinds of conversations I wish parents could hear instead, honest, compassionate, practical discussions led by people who truly understand child development and family relationships.

That’s why I created Connected Kids: Break Screen Habits and Build Strong Families alongside two Peace At Home teachers I deeply respect: Aaron Weintraub, MS and Tanika Eaves, PhD, LCSW, IMH-E®.

Aaron brings incredible insight into emotional regulation, family dynamics, and neurodiversity. Tanika brings wisdom, warmth, and deep expertise in mental health and attachment. Together, we wanted to create something different from the usual “screens are ruining your kids” conversation.

We wanted to create a workshop that feels hopeful.

A place where parents can exhale.

A place where we can talk honestly about gaming, social media, and screen habits without blaming parents or demonizing technology.

Because the truth is, technology is here to stay. Our job as parents is not to panic. Our job is to help children build healthy relationships with it while protecting what matters most: connection, resilience, emotional health, and family relationships.

In this workshop, we’ll talk about practical ways to reduce screen battles, ease anxiety, set limits that actually stick, and strengthen family connection. We’ll answer real questions from real parents. And maybe most importantly, we’ll remind families that they are not alone in this struggle.

One of the things I love most about Peace At Home is that we always lead with compassion. Yes, we share evidence-based strategies. But we also understand that parenting is emotional. It’s exhausting sometimes. It’s vulnerable work.

One parent recently told us: “I really appreciate all of the validation alongside the tips. The love with which Peace At Home Parenting approaches these topics is just as important as the great information that is shared.”

That meant everything to me because it captures exactly what I hope parents feel when they join us.

Not judged.
Not overwhelmed.
Supported.

So yes, Oprah inspired this workshop, though probably not in the way she intended. She reminded me how desperately parents need parenting experts in this conversation about technology and kids.

And really? I’m secretly hoping Oprah sees this blog, checks out our workshop, and decides to invite Aaron, Tanika, and me onto her platform so we can do what we love most, answer parents’ real questions in meaningful, compassionate, practical ways. I can already picture Oprah asking the thoughtful, piercing questions she asks so beautifully while parents everywhere get the kind of parenting support they truly deserve.

I can dream, right?

Until then, we’ll keep showing up for families the best way we know how, with empathy, evidence, honesty, and hope. Because raising connected kids in a disconnected world is hard and you should never have to do it alone.

Watch this previously hosted discussion for tools to help create a calmer, happier, and more connected home: Connected Kids: Break Screen Habits and Build Strong Families.

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