I’ll never forget one afternoon when I was caring for a little boy I’d known since he was a toddler. He was six now, sitting quietly on the couch, his face illuminated by the blue glow of his iPad.

The creative, curious child who used to spend hours building LEGO cities and turning cardboard boxes into rocket ships had drifted somewhere far away into a digital world.

My heart sank. I remembered the days when he’d beg me to play pretend, to read one more story, or to explore outside until the sun went down. Now, our afternoons had turned into constant negotiations — “Five more minutes,” “Just one more video,” “I’ll stop after this game.” Every day felt like a tug-of-war between connection and convenience, and it left everyone — him, his parents, and even me — feeling drained.

And this wasn’t an isolated story. Over the years, I’ve worked with so many families who’ve found themselves in the same battle. I’ve listened to parents who felt completely overwhelmed — worried that they were losing touch with their child, frustrated that nothing seemed to work, and unsure how to set boundaries without constant conflict. Many came to me asking for help and guidance because they didn’t know where else to turn.

Hearing their stories, and seeing their concern mirrored across so many homes, is what inspired me to create this guide.

You are not alone in this.

This guide was created to help you take back those moments of connection — to find balance between technology and real life, between screens and smiles. It combines my years of experience as a nanny with the wisdom and practical tools that have helped many families through Alma Care Nannies. My hope is that it gives you both the reassurance and the roadmap to guide your child toward a healthier relationship with technology — and to bring a little more peace back into your home.