Parenting in the Digital Era: Insights from Workshop

Introduction

In 2026 – a year that saw some pretty eye watering screen time stats for Gen Alpha kids (born 2010–2025) – they were clocking up over 7 hours a day on everything from tablets to smartphones to educational apps. And let’s be honest, parenting kids in this digital world can be a nightmare. It can range from balancing up edtech apps with good old-fashioned playtime and trying to keep the latest cyberbullying scares at bay. All this needs to be done while teaching your kid not to get too attached to their gadgets. Parents in Kerala have got their own unique set of worries. How do you raise kids who are both confident and future ready in a world that seems to be changing by the minute? That’s the relevance of Parenting Workshops.

To try and get some answers to these questions, on February 16, 2026, at the Kerala Startup Mission in Kochi, we hosted an offline workshop for parents of Gen Alpha kids. Led by the very talented Aswathy Sreekanth – a certified life coach, who is also a TV presenter and actor – over 40 parents turned up to learn from each other and get some real help dealing with everyday digital parenting struggles. She handled the session with a way to make anyone feel at ease. They shared the challenges they were facing, got some expert advice on how to handle it all, and even formed a community of fellow parents who are all trying to do the same thing – raise their kids to be emotionally secure in this crazy digital age. Now, let’s take a closer look at the workshop.

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Event Highlights: A Real Turning Point for Kerala Parents

Entri’s collaboration with the Kerala Startup Mission in Kochi on the day of the workshop turned out successful. What really struck was how quickly the room came alive with a bunch of parents swapping stories about their own struggles with kids who just wouldn’t stop staring at their screens. Aswathy Sreekanth brought her TV charm and coaching skills together to the workshop and ended up having a really honest, truly engaging conversation with the group.

Over 40 parents joined in the discussions, role plays and Q&A sessions, which really started to make sense of all the digital parenting headaches. And the best part? When they left the workshop they felt empowered, with some really useful tools to help them bring up their kids to be confident and emotionally strong.

Workshop Stats at a Glance

This event marks a significant step forward in building informed and empowered parenting communities in Kerala.

Key Challenges: Real Struggles of Digital Era Parenting

Parents didn’t hold back. According to a 2026 IAMAI report, 68% of Indian kids under 10 face screen overload. Kerala is seeing spikes due to the booming edtech landscape. Workshop discussions highlighted these raw truths:

• Screen Time Overload:

“My child chooses YouTube over park time – it’s endless!” – this is a common concern of majority of the parents these days. Sitting together and talking about it helped them immensely.

• Emotional Gaps from Social Media:

The recognition kids get online has started to define their character as a whole. They rely largely on the validation they get in the social media space. Anxiety from likes and online trolling drastically erodes self-esteem.

• Tech vs. Real Connections:

Eyes glued on the screen and ears deaf to the happenings in the near surroundings – this has become a common feature of almost every GenZ kid. Gadgets have started to replace family chats and thereby stunt social skills.

Top Challenges Discussed by Parents

These insights mirror national trends, making the workshop a lifeline for Kerala parents navigating the digital era.

Practical Strategies

The session was rich in simple, evidence-based strategies backed by child psychology. The way parents can tackle the unpredictability of their day-to-day troubles was suggested professionally. There is no one rule for all, you will have to find your ways on your own. All you need is the right state of mind. Here are a few common grounds on how parents can thrive:

• Set Clear Digital Boundaries:

Establish a family “tech contract.” Parents have reported improved focus after limiting screen time to 2 hours per day. Make sure that kids don’t attach their daily life around digital activities. They must just be a part of many other activities in a day.

• Build Emotional Intelligence Daily:

Use 10-minute “feelings circles” – no screens, just conversations. Role-plays in the workshop showed this strengthens family bonds. As has always been stated, it is important that you spend a considerable amount of time with your kid. Make sure you share your daily experiences, thoughts and feelings with each other.

• Curate Safe, Educational Content:

Replace random apps with Kerala edtech platforms or any particular videos or skilling games under your supervision. Make sure kids don’t get distracted with other options available at their fingertips. Direct them towards the information and productivity side of the digital space.

• Lead by Example and Plan Offline Fun:

Digital distractions are not just the case with kids, it applies to adults as well. So, it is important that you keep your phones away when you spend quality time with your kids. Device-free dinners and weekly offline adventures rebuild real-world confidence.

Digital Parenting Strategies Toolkit

Here is something we can infer from the general understanding of dealing GenZ kids.

Why this Matters: Building Future-Ready Parenting Communities

The workshop went beyond conversations – it sparked lasting change. Parents created WhatsApp support groups, turning insights into daily actions. In Kerala’s tech-savvy landscape, this addresses gaps: a 2026 Kerala EdTech survey reports 55% of parents lack digital parenting tools.

This aligns with Entri’s mission: empowering families through education. By nurturing emotionally secure Gen Alpha kids, parents prepare them for AI-driven futures – combining robotics literacy with empathy.

Key Takeaways: Parenting in the Digital Era

• Set Clear Screen Boundaries: Limit daily screen time to under 2 hours. Use timers or family tech pacts that you are less likely to break.
• Build Emotional Intelligence: Short daily “feelings circles” strengthen communication, trust, and empathy.
• Model Device-Free Behaviour: Parents lead by example during meals or outings. This reinforces healthy tech habits and bonds.
• Prioritize Offline Activities: Nature walks, board games, and family activities boost social skills as well as real-world confidence.
• Maintain a Support System: Parenting communities and WhatsApp groups provide continued guidance and peer support.
• Tech-Life Balance: Harness digital tools for growth, to raise confident and resilient Gen Alpha kids.

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Conclusion

Parenting in the digital age is a tightrope act – how to harness the power of technology to fuel growth without letting it take over. That’s what Aswathy Sreekanth tried to hammer home to 40+ parents who attended a workshop hosted by Kerala Startup Mission on February 16th. They walked out with some real-world strategies to bring up kids who are confident, resilient and emotionally smart.

The good news is that you can parent in the digital age, without losing your mind, as long as you’re armed with good information, a bit of support and a community to share the experience with.