The thing that strikes me as most problematic about this whole anti-smartphone thing is that we're looking for simple, blanket solutions to a complex issue. I agree with the idea that a lot of children would benefit from not having smartphones so young, and I also agree with the idea that a lot of children will benefit from them having them from an early age. The key is that parents and other responsible adults need to make reasonable evaluations based on each individual's needs and temperament before introducing smartphones and then continue evaluating as the children use them.
Your point about vaguely grouping everything together as screen time is extremely important. I grew up on the cusp of smartphone use (I had one in my late teens), but I grew up with unrestricted computer access. Did this harm me in some ways? Yes. I remember being concerned that I had an addiction to the internet because of how much I used it. But I also spent a lot my screen time writing, recording and composing music, learning about philosophy and music, etc.
I would also say that even when kids are "just" spending time on video games, I don't think that's necessarily a problem. I had a balanced childhood, in which I spent a lot of time in person with my friends, and I also spent a lot of time playing games online with them. Those times spent online with my friends are genuinely some of my fondest memories and were some of the best times in my life. Most of these anti-smartphone parents wouldn't be upset if their kids spent the same amount of time playing baseball outside, which indicates it's really just a traditionalism argument (assuming the child is getting enough exercise already). This new online paradigm isn't inherently worse, it's just different, and it can be worse *for some people* — maybe most people! But we should always strive for an individualized approach that appreciates and respects everyone's unique needs while also staying cognizant of the average — don't throw out the average entirely, but don't rely on it entirely either.
The thing that strikes me as most problematic about this whole anti-smartphone thing is that we're looking for simple, blanket solutions to a complex issue. I agree with the idea that a lot of children would benefit from not having smartphones so young, and I also agree with the idea that a lot of children will benefit from them having them from an early age. The key is that parents and other responsible adults need to make reasonable evaluations based on each individual's needs and temperament before introducing smartphones and then continue evaluating as the children use them.
Your point about vaguely grouping everything together as screen time is extremely important. I grew up on the cusp of smartphone use (I had one in my late teens), but I grew up with unrestricted computer access. Did this harm me in some ways? Yes. I remember being concerned that I had an addiction to the internet because of how much I used it. But I also spent a lot my screen time writing, recording and composing music, learning about philosophy and music, etc.
I would also say that even when kids are "just" spending time on video games, I don't think that's necessarily a problem. I had a balanced childhood, in which I spent a lot of time in person with my friends, and I also spent a lot of time playing games online with them. Those times spent online with my friends are genuinely some of my fondest memories and were some of the best times in my life. Most of these anti-smartphone parents wouldn't be upset if their kids spent the same amount of time playing baseball outside, which indicates it's really just a traditionalism argument (assuming the child is getting enough exercise already). This new online paradigm isn't inherently worse, it's just different, and it can be worse *for some people* — maybe most people! But we should always strive for an individualized approach that appreciates and respects everyone's unique needs while also staying cognizant of the average — don't throw out the average entirely, but don't rely on it entirely either.