I'm Heidi, the founder of Wired Parents. I live in Hong Kong with my husband and two sons, aged 12 and 13.

My eldest got his first phone about a year ago — no apps, no social media, WhatsApp only, and only after a long time of saying no. My youngest isn't asking yet. We're still in the middle of it, like most families.

About four years ago, a friend's son came over for a playdate. He was on his phone the moment I picked him up, and I asked him to put it away when we got to the house — just a rule for the afternoon. He did. When I mentioned it to his mum later, it turned into a much longer conversation. At the time, that kind of limit felt harder to reach for than it sounds now. Parents were still finding their footing — figuring out whether they were even allowed to push back, and on what grounds.

That conversation stuck with me. I started noticing how often the same uncertainty came up, and how little useful information was available to parents trying to navigate it. What was happening in other countries. What the research actually said. What other families were doing and why.

I spent years working in brand and communications for large organisations, including major telecoms companies. I understand how these industries operate and how the conversation around technology gets shaped — and who it usually doesn't reach.

Every Thursday, I cover what's actually happening in children's technology — phones, social media, gaming, screen time — across multiple countries, because the patterns only become clear when you look at the full picture. What you do with that information is up to you.

I don't think there's one right answer but I do think parents deserve the information to find their own.

Heidi Stenning

FOUNDER, WIRED PARENTS

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