The greatest thing a parent can do for a kid in the modern world is not buying them a car or paying for college. It is never letting them see you use a phone, never buying them a phone, and ensuring access to social media is delayed as long as possible. Think of phones as cigarettes.
Sure, they will have a hard time connecting with brain-rotted peers, but in the long run their average attention span will make them superhuman in a world of peers who have none left at all.
mobiuscog · 2h ago
It gets difficult in the teenage years, as not having a phone (or access to) effectively isolates them from their peer group and they become outcast.
Whilst this may be good to avoid brain-rot, it eliminates much of their social needs in many cases.
A balance is required, but that needs parents to actually pay attention and not just leave them to isolate themselves (with their phone) into their room.
quailfarmer · 2h ago
I’d amend that to “never buying them a smart phone”. There’s nothing particularly addictive about texting with friends, and while there’s certainly still mischief associated with that, it’s not the kind of brain-fry that’s most worrying to me.
I hear this idea that not having social media will “isolate” kids from their peers, but will it? I’m not sure how you would use TikTok to interact with your classmates, given it’s a global app.
Sure, they will have a hard time connecting with brain-rotted peers, but in the long run their average attention span will make them superhuman in a world of peers who have none left at all.
Whilst this may be good to avoid brain-rot, it eliminates much of their social needs in many cases.
A balance is required, but that needs parents to actually pay attention and not just leave them to isolate themselves (with their phone) into their room.
I hear this idea that not having social media will “isolate” kids from their peers, but will it? I’m not sure how you would use TikTok to interact with your classmates, given it’s a global app.