We’ve seen it and heard it all too many times: Kids and adults are spending too much time on their tech devices.

All you have to do is a Google search about technology-use and you’ll find enough guilt-inducing articles about how we’re failing our children to make you cry. Every time I read one of these articles, I cringe, and my guilt grows a bit larger.

Are you with me?

But here's the thing: despite my guilt for letting my kids spend too much time on their digital devices, I still let them do it. Why?

• Because they like it
• The games they play exercise their strategic and creative brains (or at least that’s what I tell myself),
• And it gives me time to cook dinner, clean up the house, or just sit back and breathe (maybe even play a few apps myself).

But no matter how I try to justify it to make myself feel better, there’s always this big elephant standing in the room. The big, gray, GUILT elephant that comes from listening to all the chatter around me about how we’re ruining our kids’ lives.

I can't help but wonder: if this is the world we live in, can we turn lemons into lemonade? Do we have to let all the guilt crush us, or can we fight back and embrace this technology-driven world? I say we can! And it starts with the hundreds of apps* out there with plenty of redeeming qualities designed to teach and inspire our children.

Technology isn't all bad

I recently read an article that said “you can’t outsource parenting; there’s no app that replaces your role as a guiding force in your child’s life.” And I agree. I’m not suggesting we let apps take over our role as parents. But I am suggesting we embrace technology, and that we can use it to our advantage. As parents, we can guide our kids towards the apps that will have a positive effect and engage us as parents.

A recent study by Pew Research showed that parents share common values when it comes to the most important things to teach our children. Topping the list was responsibility, along with hard work, helping others, being well-mannered, and so on. We want our kids to be well-respected individuals, with great character. Ultimately, we believe that when our kids resemble these character traits, it’s a sign we’re good parents—right?

I'm feeling less guilty over how much time my kids spend on mobile games because of this app

Let’s find ways to embrace technology because it’s not going away. Help kids choose apps that have positive effects.

I pray God will help you navigate this world we live in, give you peace, and guidance. You are loved and you love your kids. Take a deep breath and give this issue over to God.

--Melissa, mom of 2

*I know it can feel daunting to try and figure out if an app is appropriate or not, but there’s also resources out there to help you with that. A great resource for helping parents understand the apps and games your kids want to play is CommonSenseMedia.com. Plus, they have tons of other resources to help parents keep kids safe online.