Parents Find Freedom by Deleting Social Media
A collection of parents share their positive experiences after quitting social media to be more present with their children.
Parents from around the world are detailing the benefits of quitting social media to reclaim time with their young children. In a separate development, a Singapore international school is hosting a special event for families to engage with its unique outdoor learning environment.
Digital Detox for Parents
Emma Roberts from Copenhagen deleted all social media apps over a year ago after her eldest daughter imitated her by holding two phones. Roberts, who worked in marketing, made the change while on maternity leave with her second baby. She states the world opened up, allowing her to read more, organize real-life meetups, and realize how much of her children's lives she was missing while watching others online. Her family now benefits from her improved attention and better digital modeling, with her eldest daughter imitating her reading books instead of clutching phones.
Warwick Mihaly and his wife in Melbourne deleted Instagram and other platforms in April, partly due to discomfort with how companies owned their family photos. Their eldest child is in high school and faces peer pressure to join social media. The couple, who promised a one-month break, have not missed the apps and now read more, play Wordle, watch TV with their kids, and call friends. Madison Heckel from Chicago deleted Instagram in July, re-downloaded it briefly for a vacation, then deleted it again, disliking how it amplified social anxiety and affected her wedding planning. Other parents, including Zainab Chasb from Iraq and Gordon Smart from Glasgow, shared similar stories of liberation and improved mental health after stepping away from social platforms.
Canadian International School's Garden Party
The Canadian International School in Singapore is hosting a Magical Garden Party on 21 November 2026 for families and children. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the school's campus on Jurong West Street. The party features five character friends, each aligned with a specific area of learning from the IB Primary Years Programme, who will lead curated hands-on activities.
Aunty Ant focuses on maths and science through messy play at a mud kitchen. Betty Butterfly runs an art studio for crafting crowns to develop fine motor skills. Charlie Caterpillar invites children to an obstacle course to build physical confidence. Sally Spider needs help weaving a web city to encourage teamwork. The event is designed to showcase how the school's 2,400-square-meter outdoor discovery centre brings lessons to life. The Magical Garden Friends aim to help children question, experiment, and communicate through playful learning.
