How to raise a connected kid (without raising a screen kid)

Traveling with kids always teaches you something. Traveling back to the place where you grew up, with your child beside you, teaches you even more.

Earlier this year, I took my 5-year-old son, Ford, to Peru. It’s where my roots are, where my family history began, and where many of my earliest memories originated.

Watching him walk the same cobblestone streets, hearing Spanish spoken all around him, was more emotional for me than I expected.

The trip wasn’t just about sightseeing. It was about introducing Ford to his story, his language and his heritage. When we returned home to Miami, I realized the introduction provided by that trip wasn’t enough. The connection needed to continue in our everyday life.

How Peru came home with us

At five, connection is simple but powerful. It comes from hearing familiar voices, seeing familiar faces and feeling included.

Back home, we found small ways to keep Peru part of our routine. Ford uses a Verizon Gizmo Watch 3, which allows him to call or text only the contacts I’ve added. He can send a short voice message in Spanish to family to say good night. Sometimes he calls to share something he learned.

We also use family group chats and video calls so he can practice Spanish, stay engaged with relatives and start building healthy digital habits. As a result, what started as a meaningful trip has become an ongoing relationship with his culture.

Screens fade, people stay: Our family screen time rules

The trip also has me thinking about the kind of digital habits I want Ford to grow up with.  These aren’t just rules or screen-time limits, but are the structure we’re using as a family. They’ll change over time, but these five ideas are our starting point:

• People first. The goal is connection. If a device distracts from the conversation, we put it down.
• Known contacts only. He can call and message only family and trusted adults we’ve added.
• Connection on a screen has a time limit. We decide when it’s time to call relatives and when it’s time to unplug.
• Short and meaningful conversations. A quick voice note in Spanish can have more impact than extended scrolling.
• Boundaries that grow with him. As he gets older, the tools will change, but the expectations won’t.

We use Verizon Family Plus to help support those rhythms and set clear boundaries for devices beyond his Gizmo watch. The app allows me to manage screen time and set screen time limits, pause internet access when needed and adjust filters as he grows. Not to hover—but to create structure.

At five, structure and screen-time limits matter. They reinforce a simple message: Technology should support real relationships, not replace them.

Turning a trip into something lasting

The trip to Peru helped Ford see where he comes from. Now, we can continue to have an impact through ordinary moments: when he chooses to send a voice note in Spanish, calls a relative in Peru, practices Spanish in a video chat or asks questions about our family history.

Technology, when used thoughtfully, can bridge distance and generations. It can help a child feel connected not only to people, but also to identity. For me, this season of parenting is about raising a child who knows his roots and is using technology to strengthen relationships.

The memories we made in Peru were powerful. The connections we continue to build are what will last.

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