Parenting T(w)eens in the Digital Age

End the screen-time battles, set boundaries your kids will respect, and build a happy, balanced family life—without constant screen-related stress.

Hey Parents,

Screens are everywhere and you’re tired of feeling like you have to “police” screen time every day.

You worry that your kids are missing out on the kinds of “real” moments that you had growing up — bike rides, tree-climbing, or dialing a landline to ask if a friend could come over.

But at the same time, you’re exhausted from constantly enforcing screen rules.

You have this nagging sense of dread every time you read the latest scary headline about kids and tech.

But at the same time, you hear that if they don’t learn to use all the latest apps, they’ll never have a chance in today’s society.

So you can’t decide if your tween’s TikTok obsession is harmless fun or setting them up for disaster.

You mediate endless arguments about screens.

Yet, as the conscientious loving parent you know you are, you feel like you have to be constantly micromanaging what they’re doing online. Oh, and let’s not forget life itself—you can’t monitor every app and notification while also remembering soccer practice, laundry, and that PTA meeting you may or may not have RSVP’d for.  

You want to set boundaries but you’re not even sure which ones make sense anymore, let alone have the time or the energy to keep it up. 

You’re confused. You’re tired. You’re overwhelmed.

It might help you to know that…

…it’s not you, it’s them

(them = tech, the media, the one-size-fits-all unrealistic advice)

The pull of tech is relentless

You’re up against a system that’s designed to keep us all hooked and a world that’s moving faster than we can keep up with. 

The media traffics in inducing widespread panic

Headlines bounce from one impending disaster to another, making us all feel a sense of urgency and responsibility that’s bigger than any one family should ever have to handle.

And unfortunately most advice is overly simplistic and woefully unrealistic.

You tried time limit apps, but your kids are pros at bypassing those limits faster than you can Google “parental controls.”  

You’ve tried setting strict house rules, you’ve tried bans, you’ve even tried no rules. None of it feels right and none of it sticks. 

Because even you got caught up in the inevitable curveballs and gray areas (is FaceTiming the grandparents screen time or “family bonding”? What about homework on the laptop?).

And while you tried to be consistent, that’s easier said than done when the dishwasher just exploded.

And so when your kids rebelled because they didn’t feel heard, you no longer even felt so confident about what it was you were trying to do in the first place. 

This is hard. You’re not crazy and you’re not failing. And you’re also not alone.

The solution is not about doing more. It’s about doing things differently — together.

You want your kids to have rich, joyful childhoods — but tech seems to complicate everything.

You dream of a home where screens are just one part of your family’s life — not a constant source of stress and conflict.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could count on:

  • Teamwork instead of constant arguments and endless negotiations.

  • Balance that allows you to hold on to off screen experiences while also preparing your kids for today’s world

  • Clarity in knowing what’s actually worth worrying about (and how to safeguard against the potential dangers)

  • And confidence in both what you do and what you don’t do with tech and the boundaries you set

Hello, I’m Mieke

I’ve spent years helping families build flexible, realistic strategies that work.

Think of me as your friendly guide: part educator, part coach, part researcher, and part “I’ve been there too.”

I understand both the science and the day-to-day struggles of parenting. I’ll offer you practical tools and a whole lot of empathy – no guilt trips here.

Sure, I have professional training (a PhD in developmental psychology and 20+ years working with families).

But, as a parent myself, I see personally how difficult it is to fit every parent, every kid, and every situation into a neat little “research says…” package. 

With me you’ll get:

  • Support without judgment. There’s no “right way” to parent

  • Practical approach. My guidance comes from a deep knowledge base, but is also rooted in sanity — so it’s matter of fact, and focused on what will actually help.

  • Transferable tools. You’ll start with discovering new frameworks for assessing your relationship with screens. But importantly, you’ll gain the confidence to do the same with your kids.

  • Actionable steps. We’ll break down big goals into specific, small, and achievable changes.

  • A collaborator. I’ll give you personalized feedback and help you build a solution tailored to your unique family dynamics.

Build a Balanced Relationship with Screens and T(w)eens

A 12 week 1:1 program to help you:

  • Create an approach that fits your family – and can be adapted as your needs change

  • Guide your kids through the digital world without constant monitoring

  • Set boundaries that your kids will actually respect (or at least mostly respect), and are flexible enough to grow with your kids

  • Let go of the need to micromanage every app, download, and text chain

  • Feel confident about your choices

What’s included

In our one-on-one work, we’ll explore:

  • Foundational parenting and how it relates to tech

  • Your family’s north star assessment to identify your ultimate values and goals

  • Realistic assessment of risks and potential dangers to decrease anxiety and find a place of sanity

  • Tools to assess your family’s relationship with tech to help you orient and find purpose 

  • What to watch out for, warning signs and red flags that could indicate more serious problems – in other words, how to identify and scale if your kid’s tech use is problematic

  • How to talk to your kids about your family’s use of tech, and concrete tools for getting them involved in finding solutions

  • Problem solving and troubleshooting for when, inevitably, things don’t go exactly according to plan 

This isn’t about guilt trips, fear tactics, or blind acceptance. No rigid rules, scary tech apocalypse panics, or unconditional open arms. Together, we’ll build a balanced, customized approach that fits your family’s need and values.

Your journey:

Week 1 - Live session

Get grounded. Explore what issues are okay to let go of and what deserves extra attention. Because it’s all about being practical: we can’t act rationally and effectively when we’re lost in knee-jerk reactions of fear, guilt, or anxiety.  

Weeks 2-4 - Live sessions

Get specific. Dig into the specific issues that keep you up at night and discover solutions for connecting, setting boundaries, and creating a relationship with tech that works for you and your kids.

Week 5 - Live session

Tie to together. We’ll put the finishing touches on a media mission statement to edit and adjust with your kids. 

Weeks 6-11 - Voxer support

Try it out. We’ve all been there: We learn some new skills and we have the best of intentions for putting them into practice. Until we actually try it with our kids and everything falls apart. I’ll be available for email support and through Voxer.

Week 12 - Live session

Adjust where necessary. The last week is for celebrating what’s working, and most importantly, troubleshooting what isn’t. You’ll bring back what you’ve tried and how it went and I’ll guide you in adjusting where necessary.

Total time commitment:

Live sessions last 45 minutes each.

Support continues through Week 12.

Your investment: $900

Because parenting is hard enough. Let’s make this part a bit easier.

  • Knowledgable and non judgmental approach allows freedom to explore in a safe space

    Before working with Mieke, I was feeling overwhelmed about most parenting issues. I felt like a failure, and that I lacked expertise…which ultimately would detrimentally affect my children. Mieke is really easy to connect with, and is also knowledgeable and non-judgmental.  That gave me the freedom to really explore my struggles in a safe space. I now feel much more relaxed, connected,  sympathetic to my children — and empowered to try various exercises. I’m even more inclined to take a chill pill and be intentional about which behavioural issues to address and which to let go of. One of my children has even started to try new self regulation techniques himself!

    Liz, mom of 3

  • My relationship with my kids is stronger -- so I'm getting compliance through collaboration

    I started this program feeling like I lacked control of my kids’ use of media, and dissatisfied with their capacity for their own self control. After clarifying my goals and values around media usage, I feel much stronger. My anxiety is down, feelings of calm and competency are up, and I feel confident about staying firm on limits where they matter.

    Mihaela, mom of 2

  • Overall, we've taken the household anger index around the media issue way down

    It's so important to get a good understanding of your child's and your own relationship to digital tech / screen time. Mieke really helps you reflect on your own values and develop a thoughtul and realistic approach that will work for your family. My anxiety has really calmed down around my kids' relationship with the internet and their screens. I feel so much less anxious and more well-adjusted now. Before I had fear about my kid’s growing screen time, now I know how to help my kids (and myself!) establish balance.

    Chris, dad of 2

Not sure if it’s right for you?

This is for you if..

  • You’re ready to make informed decisions and set healthy boundaries around your family’s use of tech 

  • You’re willing to reflect, learn, and take manageable steps (I’ll lead you along the way)

  • You value steady progress over perfection

  • You want support that's practical and realistic (no parenting utopia here) 

This is not for you if…

  • You’re looking for a rigid “ban all screens” approach

  • You believe the tech can and should be eliminated from modern life entirely

  • You’re expecting an overnight change or a quick fix

  • You’re not ready to reflect honestly, make room for flexibility, or hold the line when needed.

 FAQs

  • This particular program works best for parents of kids who already use screens independently and autonomously (or somewhat autonomously). In other words, kids who are using devices sometimes (or most of the time) completely on their own. That usually works out to parents of tweens or teens. 

  • I don’t believe in rigid formulas. Instead, you’ll receive a flexible framework that adapts to your family’s evolving needs. 

  • This program isn’t for you if you expect perfection or instant results. It’s about building lasting solutions—not overnight change.

  • Nope – neither one. Unless you’ve got a private off-the-grid island, banning screens isn’t realistic. And just diving in and allowing screens without boundaries is not ideal either. We’ll focus on balance instead.

  • I get it — this isn’t easy. You might feel like you’ve tried everything. Often what’s missing is collaboration and clarity though. We’ll build a system your family can commit to—and stick with.

I want to a conflict-free approach to managing media!

Schedule a 15 minute consultation for FREE to see if it’s right for you!