Dear Reader Squadmate,

It’s been a minute.

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be gone this long, but life does what life does. My family needed me. We’re in the thick of those launch years — two kids getting ready to fly the nest — and it has been thrilling, terrifying, and consuming all at once. I’ve also been putting in time volunteering at my kids’ school, applying what I know about screentime, learning from other parents, teachers, and, frankly, kids themselves.

Confession? I needed the break more than I realized. The balance between working, parenting, caring for aging parents, aging myself (!) and trying to be a halfway decent human was... a lot. But, if there’s one thing that always pulls me back, it’s this community — you.

Because I love talking about screentime. I love thinking about it. I love debating it. I even love admitting where I mess up with it (and oh, do I mess up). My oldest — yes, the one who once threw an iPad at my head — is heading off to college in the fall, and screens have been stitched into every part of that story: the meltdowns, the connections, the distractions, the late-night Google Docs, and the tiny moments of joy.

And while I was away, the screentime world did what it always does — it changed.

• ​AI is everywhere — in classrooms, homework, parenting hacks, and the family dinner table debates.
• Social media pressures have only gotten messier — especially around body image, self-esteem, and FOMO.
• Schools are cracking down with cell phone bans, but parents and kids aren’t always sure if it’s helping.
• Games like Roblox and Fortnite are less about gaming and more about life — friendship, commerce, and drama.
• And kids? They’re adapting faster than we can keep up, as always. (Read Bill Gates’ review of “The Anxious Generation”)

But here’s the thing I want to tell you most: this isn’t just my newsletter — it’s ours.

via GIPHY

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So, please, hit reply. Tell me what’s on your mind. What’s driving you crazy about screentime right now? What’s confusing? What do you wish someone would dig into?

ALSO, if you’d like to follow along as I continue this mindful parenting journey, come visit me in Instagram world. These days, I’m using my little corner of IG as a way to be more intentional — not just with parenting, but with how I notice and document the everyday. I’ve been practicing intentional photography, capturing quiet moments, honest reflections, and small joys that might otherwise pass me by. It’s not about the perfect picture, but about slowing down and making meaning out of the mess and magic of family life. I'd love to have you there with me.

I am so glad to be back in this with you.

Peace, Love, and Hairgrease,
Arcadia