I begin with the statement that, like teaching, there is no one best way of parenting. Good parenting comes in all sizes and colors.

Saying that, however, does little to help those parents who, surrounded bymind-altering noise hyping new technologies, face the persistent dilemma of deciding which high-tech devices they should allow their preschoolers to use. And once decided, how much time should young children use devices at home (preschoolers also watch screens with a teacher and aide in the room).

The value of having children handle devices and become technologically proficient competes with the value of active children playing and working with others and not passively watching television or playing the same game hours on end on gadgets. Values conflict. What devices and how much time to allow?

Parents have three choices in managing the dilemma of how much screen time and high-tech devices should their children use at…