Drew Barrymore refuses to grant her children cellphone access, remaining adamant on limited technology usage.
The actress-turned-talk-show-host recently opened up about the challenges of parenting in a digital age in between taping for “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
“I am struggling. I have a 10- and an 11-year-old daughter … most parents are dealing with it. A lot of parents are giving their kids phones at very young ages,” she said in a clip posted by the show on Instagram.
The 49-year-old says she is most concerned about the unlimited online access, with her primary focus being that her daughters feel safe and loved.“And it’s just access to everything … it’s really tough. I’m like very overwhelmed. But I’m not going to give up. ... I haven’t let my kids have phones yet.”
She stressed that it can be difficult for her children to see others with cellphones, noting that there is a fine line between trying to parent and not being resented for it.
“None of us want our children to resent us, and we don’t want to be their enemy. It’s such a hard choice to say, ‘I don’t care if you hate me for this, I don’t care if you’re mad at me for this, I know that I’m doing the right thing by you.’”
Ms. Barrymore understands that anger may come with the territory and says that overall, it can be very hard to navigate, especially under societal pressure.
“Nobody wants their kids to be angry with them … it’s not a great feeling. But I know that this is what’s best for them. And I’ve got to stick with it. I have to find the courage every day to not give in.”
Despite her personal opinions on the matter, Ms. Barrymore says she understands why parents let their children have cellphones, adding that there is “no right or wrong” approach.
The monitoring does not stop at phones, however, as her daughters have other personal electronic devices, such as iPads. To reduce screen time, Ms. Barrymore locks the devices in a safe and only allows the girls to use them on special occasions.
Her decision stemmed from the overuse of technology during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were virtual, forcing her and her children to constantly be on separate devices.
In a previous episode of the show, the actress got emotional when discussing the difficulties of raising children in a spotlight they did not ask for, which added to her reasoning for shielding them from the public eye.
“When I had my kids, it was like, that changed everything … are we protecting our children the way that we never got to have that protection? ... This is not okay. They didn’t sign up for this. It’s so hard.”
In 2012, Ms. Barrymore married art adviser Will Kopelman, and they have two daughters together. The couple later announced their separation in 2016, finalizing their divorce that same year.
Now in its fourth season, the Hollywood star launched her daytime talk show on CBS in 2020, hoping to combine pop culture, comedy, and human interest while exploring intelligent optimism.
