The other day my 18-year-old daughter was explaining the “WTF” social media trend to me.

When I got past the name, I kind of liked it. Basically, people post the phrase “WTF is a…” to reject a notion that goes against whatever they are trying to promote or the experience they are showing. Maybe a guy posts a photo of himself out for an early morning run with the caption “WTF is an alarm clock?” or someone sleeping under the stars posts a picture with the caption, “WTF is a hotel?” It’s fun, it’s slightly sarcastic and it’s gone viral.

Our favourite WTF posts though are those with the caption “WTF is an iPad kid?” These are posted alongside pictures or videos of little kids skating, playing in the mud, building forts and doing other wild and fun stuff. These posts are not just cool, they are the siren call of a new generation of millennial parents. Their message is this: let’s get our kids off screens and back outside.

The digital tide is turning slowly, but I am so excited to see more parents of young children choosing to navigate their family’s digital lives with way more intentionality and care than the Gen X parents before them. This new parent is more informed, has seen the impact of unregulated and unguided social media on a generation of children and teens and is vowing not to repeat history with their own children.

And as a Gen X parent, I celebrate this and am cheering them on.

If you are a millennial parent, here are some ways not to make the mistakes we did and not raise an iPad kid:

· Delay tech. Do not give any screen access to children under three.

· Thereafter limit both time and content as much as possible. There is no such thing as too little screentime.

· Be very careful what your children watch and do not let them spend time in homes where you are not confident that the screen content is safe and age appropriate.

· Don’t use a screen as a babysitter, boredom killer or mood regulator. Teach your children to develop coping techniques, use their imaginations and to manage their emotions. Boredom is a gift.

· Create space and time for your children to enjoy free, unregulated play where they get to explore, take risks, build friendships and grow in confidence.

· Manage your own screen life, choosing your kids over your screen. Eat a (screen-free!) meal together every day, play with them, take them to the beach, lie next to them at bedtime and read a book.

As an almost empty-nester I can confidently say that the time we have with our children at home goes way too fast, and I never want to look back and say that we chose screens over life. So, ditch the screens, get outside and create some WTF moments of your own.

Christy Herselman is founder of The Chat – a culture shaping movement focusing on sexual and digital health. The heart of The Chat is to provide education and catalyse meaningful dialogue. She is the author of three books and gives talks and workshops in schools, businesses and communities.

Find out more @thechatdurban and www.thechat.co.za