I love the idea of focusing more on the kids instead of the screens; no child should have to compete with a gadget to fight for their parents' attention.
It's a sadly interesting phenomenon. I recently discovered that kids actually face a similar problem with overflowing toy collections—they can hide behind them and miss out on real-life confrontation, discussion, and adventure. Some kindergartens even implement 'toy-free' periods to help them reset.
The Roosevelt example completely reframes what 'too busy' actually means when someone manages a nation yet still lets kids interrupt cabinet meetings. The engineering approach here is spot on - treating this as a design problem rather than a willpower one shifts the entire conversation from guilt to actionable solutions. My own attemps at screen-free parenting failed until I stopped trying to resist and started restructuring enviroment, kinda like the phone foyer concept but with physical barriers that made checking impossible.
Love that phone quote – worried about missing notifications while missing actual life. The irony writes itself.
I cover this kind of thing on my Substack, helping dads level up instead of just getting by. Worth checking out if this resonates. https://joewooten.substack.com/p/thriving-as-a-father
I love the idea of focusing more on the kids instead of the screens; no child should have to compete with a gadget to fight for their parents' attention.
It's a sadly interesting phenomenon. I recently discovered that kids actually face a similar problem with overflowing toy collections—they can hide behind them and miss out on real-life confrontation, discussion, and adventure. Some kindergartens even implement 'toy-free' periods to help them reset.
I was surprised to find this out, but it makes sense. Although, not all kids benefit equally, and I bet adults don't benefit equally from going screen-free either. I actually wrote more about this topic here: https://scientistmom1.substack.com/p/is-a-cluttered-playroom-the-toddler
The Roosevelt example completely reframes what 'too busy' actually means when someone manages a nation yet still lets kids interrupt cabinet meetings. The engineering approach here is spot on - treating this as a design problem rather than a willpower one shifts the entire conversation from guilt to actionable solutions. My own attemps at screen-free parenting failed until I stopped trying to resist and started restructuring enviroment, kinda like the phone foyer concept but with physical barriers that made checking impossible.