Gemma Hunt: ‘your child doesn’t need a perfect parent - just a present one’

Gemma, what do you find difficult as a mum?

I think it’s fair to say that parenting has never been a walk in the park—but wow, in this digital age, it feels like we’re facing a whole new level of challenge. Our own parents had their struggles too, of course, but now we’ve got smartphones in our pockets, social media on demand, and AI popping up in everything from homework help to shopping lists. It’s fast, it’s convenient… but if we’re honest, it’s also exhausting.

Sometimes I wonder how present we really are with our children these days.

You have a daughter – how old is she and how do you see this challenge playing out in your household?

I’ve got an eight-year-old daughter—longed for, prayed for, and absolutely treasured. Like every child, she is a precious gift. But even with all that love, I’ve caught myself choosing my screen over her far too often. You know the scenario: she’s chatting away, showing me something she’s made, and I’m nodding while scrolling through a message or replying to an email. I’m there—but I’m not really there, if you know what I mean.

Then one day, she brought me a drawing.

On one side was a mummy staring at her phone, labelled “Bad Mum.” On the other, a mummy down on the floor playing Barbies, labelled “Good Mum.” I asked her, a bit sheepishly, “Which one am I?” She smiled and said, “You’re the good mum, because you play Barbies with me.”

Cue the lump in my throat.

Now, I know I’m not always the “good mum.” There are plenty of moments where I’m distracted, short-tempered, or just not paying attention. But in that moment, her grace melted me—and challenged me too.

And did that challenge lead to any changes?

Yes, nothing drastic, but intentional. Our phones now live in a set place—usually the hallway or the kitchen island—so they’re not always on hand during meals, playtime, or conversations. It’s a simple shift, but it’s helping us reclaim some focus. We’re not doing it perfectly (we never do!), but we’re trying.

The thing is, these devices aren’t evil. I love a good podcast, I read the Bible app, I use Google as much as anyone. But I’ve realised that just because something is helpful doesn’t mean it has to be constant. Sometimes we need to step away so we can truly connect—with God, with each other, and with our children.

We’ve also tried going a bit old-school in our family devotions. Instead of tapping through a digital plan, we’ve been reading The Jesus Storybook Bible together. It’s become part of our bedtime rhythm—our daughter reads to us, and then we take turns sharing something faith-filled before prayers. When we finished the Old Testament recently, she was buzzing to start the New Testament. “Did all of this really happen?” she kept asking. “Yes, darling. This is the Bible—it’s God’s story, and it’s true.”

Read more:

Martin Saunders: ‘God’s grace is bigger than anyone’s parenting failures’

Paul Kerensa: Parents ‘take sleep when you can and be kind. Not every day will be easy – but that’s OK’

Chloe Swart: You don’t have to be a superhero parent. Just love Jesus deeply and live that out in front of your kids

Those conversations aren’t ones she’s likely to see online. So, if I can swap screen time for sacred time, even just a few minutes a day, I’m all in. Because the influence we have as parents—it matters. The way we model our faith, our values, our attention—it’s shaping the people our children are becoming.

And here’s the truth I’m learning – being present doesn’t mean being perfect. It just means showing up. It means saying, “I see you. I hear you. You’re more important than this notification.”

Sounds like you’ve been on a journey with this – what would you like to say the rest of us parents?

As Christian parents, we have the beautiful and terrifying privilege of showing our children what love looks like in real time. We get to point them to Jesus not just with our words, but with our presence. So, let’s put the phones down, even just for a bit. Let’s pick up a book, roll around on the carpet, ask big questions, laugh out loud, and pray together—even if it’s messy and interrupted.

Let’s be brave enough to say no to distraction, so we can say a big, wholehearted yes to the people in front of us. Because those little moments of connection? They build something eternal.

So, from one imperfect, screen-distracted-but-still-trying parent to another: you’ve got this. God’s grace is enough. And your child doesn’t need a perfect parent—just a present one.

Gemma Hunt was brought up in a Baptist Church in her hometown of Trowbridge, Wiltshire and her faith was cemented by trips to summer camps and festivals. She is mixed heritage, so loves everything from Jamaican jerk chicken, rice and peas and plantain to a good British roast dinner. With thousands of hours experience in television presenting (Songs of Praise, Blue Peter Proms, CBeebies’ Swashbuckle) and hosting festivals (Big Church Festival, Spring Harvest), Gemma loves sharing her gifts with the masses