Is there really a place for school phone bans?

What's wrong with videos during mealtimes now?

Parents use phones, so why should kids listen?

Is society intolerant of bad public behaviour?

Might we be guilty of over-parenting our kids?

What is the minimum age for kids sitting solo?

Dr Becky's tip for those unsure of having kids

Are we using phones constructively to help kids to learn or assist adults in coping?

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

One of the most fraught challenges of modern parenting is our love-hate relationship with screen time. From school bans on phones in school, to the everyday reality of dual-income working parents who just need their child to eat dinner in peace, how much is too much screentime and who should be responsible?

Are we using phones constructively to help kids to learn or assist adults in coping? And in a dopamine fuelled always-on world where we are expected to be 24/7 ready for work, are we asking our offspring to do something we ourselves fail at?

Opinion editor Lin Suling gets answers from Dr Becky, who’s been called the millennial parent whisperer by Time Magazine, on the sidelines of the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

With millions of followers on Instagram tuning into her snappy videos, Dr Rebecca Kennedy is also a bestselling author, a clinical psychologist, the CEO of Good Inside, and mother of three.

Highlights (click/tap above): 

1:59 Is there a place for phone bans in schools?

3:45 What’s wrong with kids watching videos during mealtimes?

5:10 Parents are always on their phones for work so why should kids listen?

8:06 Is society intolerant towards misbehaviour in restaurants, airplanes and public areas?

9:58 Might we be over-parenting?

11:23 Is there a minimum age when kids can sit by themselves?

12:40 Dr Becky’s message to people unsure about having kids 

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg) 

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast 

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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#inyouropinion

Are we using phones constructively to help kids to learn or assist adults in coping?
Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
One of the most fraught challenges of modern parenting is our love-hate relationship with screen time. From school bans on phones in school, to the everyday reality of dual-income working parents who just need their child to eat dinner in peace, how much is too much screentime and who should be responsible?
Are we using phones constructively to help kids to learn or assist adults in coping? And in a dopamine fuelled always-on world where we are expected to be 24/7 ready for work, are we asking our offspring to do something we ourselves fail at?
Opinion editor Lin Suling gets answers from Dr Becky, who&rsquo;s been called the millennial parent whisperer by Time Magazine, on the sidelines of the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos in January.
With millions of followers on Instagram tuning into her snappy videos, Dr Rebecca Kennedy is also a bestselling author, a clinical psychologist, the CEO of Good Inside, and mother of three.
Highlights (click/tap above):&nbsp;
1:59 Is there a place for phone bans in schools?
3:45 What&rsquo;s wrong with kids watching videos during mealtimes?
5:10 Parents are always on their phones for work so why should kids listen?
8:06 Is society intolerant towards misbehaviour in restaurants, airplanes and public areas?
9:58 Might we be over-parenting?
11:23 Is there a minimum age when kids can sit by themselves?
12:40 Dr Becky&rsquo;s message to people unsure about having kids&nbsp;
Read ST&rsquo;s Opinion section:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sH"> https://str.sg/w7sH</a>
Host: Lin Suling (<a href="mailto:linsuling@sph.com.sg">linsuling@sph.com.sg)</a>&nbsp;
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wukb"> https://str.sg/wukb</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sV"> https://str.sg/w7sV</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/" data-stringify-link="https://www.awedio.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://www.awedio.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>&nbsp;
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#inyouropinion

A hard look at the social issues of the month in Singapore. Join ST journalists and other guests as they discuss with Lydia Wong.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.