Tom Marks shares why he is hesitant to introduce his young daughter to social media and pop culture.
Parenting is full of hypocrisy. “You have to eat dinner before dessert,” I tell my toddler, despite sneaking in a cookie myself. But while I know that’s part of the gig, there is one milestone that I find myself unexpectedly bracing for.
In a few short weeks, my daughter will turn two years old – the age we decided to wait until before introducing any screen time. Family photos on our phones, sure, but currently she is blissfully ignorant of any of the shows, movies and video games she’ll inevitably be obsessed with.
Look, I’m not against any of that stuff. I remember my favorite childhood cartoons fondly, and video games in particular had such a positive impact on my life that they literally became my career. They encourage critical thinking, build friendships and teach empathy as you slip into dozens of different pairs of shoes – a far cry from the mind-numbing reputation they too often have.
I’m passionate about these things, and I truly hope my kid falls in love with them too. So why am I anxious to finally share it all with her? I think it’s because I see her boundless toddler energy right now, always up to help garden and requesting a trip to the park at every opportunity. I also see the way things like social media can warp our behavior around them, intentionally designed to insatiably demand our attention.