Kim Kardashian Reveals The Parenting Advice A Therapist Gave Her To Help Her Kids Behave Better — And Most Parents Are Like ‘Duh’
You learn something new everyday.
Asatur Yesayants / Shutterstock Kim Kardashian’s approach to motherhood has been widely criticized, to the point where it seems like dragging her as a mom is part of the “love to hate her” mentality that follows her everywhere.
She’s been candid about how hard parenting has been since her divorce, saying, “It has been the most challenging thing. Some nights, I cry myself to sleep.”
Her display of vulnerability wasn’t exactly well-received, yet she touched on the often unspoken reality of raising kids: It’s an isolating endeavor. She recently opened up even more, sharing a specific thing she allows in her household that could be detrimental to her kids.
Kim Kardashian revealed the parenting advice a therapist gave her to help her kids behave better, and most parents are like, ‘Duh.’
In a clip from “The Kardashians,” Kim told Khloé about the guidance she got that shifted her perspective on parenting.
“I started to see a therapist,” Kim said. “I just saw her once.”
Khloé laughed slightly, as though to express that therapy is an involved process, one that best serves people when they’re committed to continuing the work instead of ditching it after one session.
Yet Kim seemed to reap some benefit from the experience, as she told Khloé what the therapist told her: “The simplest thing that she told me was to take down screen time.”
“Of course, you’re like, ‘duh,’” Kim continued, exhibiting a certain level of self-awareness that seems new to her.
She explained her reason for not enforcing screen time rules with her kids, saying, “Having strict rules on, like, there can be no phones during meals, they’re gonna fight and kick and scream for, like, a week, and you gotta get through it, and I never wanted to deal for that week. Sometimes it’s just easier, like, ‘Oh, here’s your phone.’”
Khloé then offered her perspective on parenting, declaring, “Discipline is love.”
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Kim highlighted a struggle that all parents face, even when they’re famous billionaires who broadcast their family life for the world to see: enforcing rules and consequences when you know the meltdown is imminent.
Relying on quick solutions to mitigate children’s behavior might seem like it works at the moment, but it’s bound to create more difficulty in the future, especially when it comes to screens.
“My kids don’t sit on their devices all day,” Kim claimed.
It’s well-established that too much screen time is harmful to kids, yet it seemed like new information to Kim.
Excessive screen time has been declared a public health emergency in the U.S.
Kids between 8 and 12 spend an average of 4 to 6 hours using screens. Teenagers spend up to 9 hours a day on screens.
A 2023 study titled “Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development” noted that screen time on its own isn’t inherently positive or negative; rather, it’s the way screens are used and the content that’s consumed that impacts child development.
Too much screen time has negative effects on children’s cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth. Exposure to screens at a young age is associated with lowered cognitive abilities and academic performance as kids grow older.
Screen time negatively affects language development by hindering interactions between children and their caregivers. It can also obstruct a child’s ability to interpret emotions and fuel aggressive behavior.
According to the CDC, parents who implement restrictions, including not allowing phones in their kids’ bedrooms, see significantly lowered screen time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents avoid screen time for anything besides video chatting for children under 18 months old. Children between the ages of 2 and 5 should only get one hour of screen time a day.
Of course, all parents have moments when they need to put their kid in front of a screen, and they should give themselves grace during those times, even Kim Kardashian.
Setting boundaries with kids might not be easy, but it’s what they need to feel secure and protected in a big, overwhelming world, no matter who their mom is.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.