What if screen time is the only way my partner and I get a peaceful meal  is that okay sometimes? 

Parenting Perspective 

There will absolutely be days when the ideal of a perfectly screen-free family meal feels impossible, especially if you and your partner desperately need a quiet moment to eat or talk. Using a screen in these situations is not a parenting failure; it becomes problematic only when it shifts from being a rare, emergency tool to a daily, unthinking habit. The key is to approach it with intention and balance. 

Use It as an Occasional, Intentional Tool 

Agree as a couple on the specific, rare circumstances where using a screen at mealtimes feels necessary. This might be after a particularly stressful day, during an important phone call, or when hosting guests. By defining it as an occasional tool for exceptional situations, you prevent it from becoming the default method for getting through a meal. 

Frame It as a ‘One-Off’ 

If you do decide to use a screen, frame it for your child as a clear exception, not the new normal. You could say, ‘Just for tonight, you can watch your show while we eat because Mummy and Daddy have had a very long day. Tomorrow, we will be back to our usual family meal together’. This clarity helps your child understand that the core family value has not changed. 

Cultivate Other Peaceful Meal Strategies 

To avoid relying on screens, actively cultivate other strategies for a peaceful mealtime. This could involve encouraging independent play for a short period just before the meal, serving simple dishes that require less of your attention, or setting up a calming pre-meal activity for your child, like drawing at the table. Over time, these habits can replace the need for a screen. 

By treating mealtime screens as a conscious, deliberate choice rather than an unconscious habit, you can protect both the peaceful space you sometimes need and the vital connection your child gains from shared family meals. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam places immense value on the act of eating together, seeing it as a source of blessing, bonding, and gratitude. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Ibraheem (14), Verse 7: 

‘If you show gratitude, I (Allah Almighty) will indeed, amplify them for you (provisions and sustenance)…’ 

This verse reminds us that being present and grateful in our simple, shared moments, especially over a meal, is an act that invites more blessings into our lives. 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3287, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Eat together and do not eat separately, for the blessing is in being together.’ 

This beautiful hadith teaches us that eating as a family is a direct means of strengthening relationships and inviting divine barakah (blessing) into our homes. If occasional screen use helps you to find the rest and stability needed to be a better parent, it can be permissible. However, keeping the shared, present meal as the cherished norm honours both the Sunnah and your child’s deep-seated need for family connection.