Jason Kelce on feeling guilty when his kids tell him to put his phone away: ‘That cuts into your soul’

Jason Kelce is getting candid about his smartphone usage, revealing that he’s “addicted” to his phone and that he feels like a “sh*tty parent” when his kids tell him to put it down. 

On the latest episode of New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, the Philadelphia Eagles center answered a fan who asked what five apps are must-haves on his phone. “I would have no apps and I would throw my phone into a volcano of magma because I hate how much I’m on my phone. I hate everything to do with my phone. I’m addicted to it, I can’t stand it,” the dad of three responded.

When his brother and podcast co-host Travis Kelce pointed out that he “loves it,” adding, “it’s like your own personal search engine,” he replied: “I like the amount of knowledge that it brings, but I hate the amount of distraction it brings.”

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“I hate when my kid tells me to put down my phone because it lets me know how bad of a parent I’m being. When your own daughter says, ‘Daddy, put down your phone.’ Do you know how much that cuts into your soul and lets you know how sh*tty of a dad you’re being?” he asked. “I f—— hate this thing.”

Travis laughed and said, “Next time she says that can you just screenshot what you’re looking at?”

“It’s going to be nonsense. No, it’ll probably be a crossword puzzle on the New York Times because I do love those for some reason,” Jason concluded. The 36-year-old shares daughters Bennett, 10 months, Elliotte, 2½, and Wyatt, 4, with wife Kylie Kelce.

Jason’s admission will resonate with any parent, because sometimes scrolling and unwinding is the only way to get through a day, even though there’s a good chance it doesn’t make you feel all that great. Taking a break from devices whenever possible is a solid move, but it’s so hard, especially when you do get a rare moment to relax after an entire day spent navigating everyone else’s needs and wants. Even if it feels that way, you’re not a bad parent for needing a minute to zone out. With so much being thrown at us every minute of every day, it’s only human to need an escape from that, however brief it may be.