Thread by @tylerblack32

For all you "screen time"-phobes: If a child replaced 100% of their "screen time" with non-interactive, non-social, non-puzzle-solving, non-skill-training activity, like, oh, I don't know, reading a book, would you be happier?

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Think about it honestly. We societally value book reading and we don't shame people for doing it. "mom I read a book last night" sounds peaceful. "mom i played a video game last night" makes you squirm. The problem is you.

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Gaming, interacting, sharing, socializing, solving puzzles, learning, participating in groups, these are all things that occur on screens. Ask yourself, why am I so against it?

you'll likely find 2 reasons:

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First reason for moral panic on video games: you know nothing about it, and make no effort to master your childs screen life in the same way you know every play they did when they were playing soccer, who their teammates were, etc.

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Second reason for moral panic on video games: you have bought into the "new generation is in trouble" narrative, which is a moral panic all on its own. You believe, wrongly, that if your child engages in YOUR childhood pasttimes (reading, calling on phone, hanging out, etc).../5

They will be better off. When actually, this generation of kids is the smartest, most responsible, most socially connected, most advocacy-forward, most caring, least violent group of kids that we have observed in modern histroy.

And they also like snapchat.

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So re-examine your own biases. There is NOTHING superior to reading a book than playing a video game or watching a video. "books are imaginative" no, no they're not. they're prescriptive. they tell you precisely what to think about.

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And with everything kids can do today, from creating worldwide drives to raise advocacy, connect with their friends, do online courses, learn new skills, consume entertainment, solve puzzles, play games together... the problem is NOT the screen.