Here’s a tip for making yourself an easy person for an older kid to talk to: When they suddenly want to tell you stuff at eleven o’clock on a Tuesday night, and you’re exhausted and have a meeting in the morning and the kitchen still needs to get cleaned up and YOU KNOW in your heart they’re only talking to you to avoid going to sleep? Have the conversation anyway.

Conversations about topics such as this “digital balance” can help build strong bonds with your kids. They help develop trust, show them you care, and open up gates to other conversations.