Tablets as Pacifiers: Rethinking Our Relationship with Screens
Growing up in the Philippines in the 1980s, a misbehaving child might get a scolding or even a spanking. We called it discipline, and while I wouldn't choose that parenting method now, it did instill a sense of self-control in me. Today, I see a different extreme. Kids fuss or whine, and instantly, they're handed a tablet or a smartphone to quiet them down. We seem to have traded one kind of pacifier for another. I understand the temptation of screens – they're distracting and entertaining. But I worry that relying too heavily on them as behavior regulators may do more harm than good. Our kids may miss out on developing crucial self-regulation skills, navigating the complex digital world, and building meaningful connections with their parents. It's true that excessive screentime has drawbacks, but let's look at the potential drawbacks of being too restrictive as well. Screentime and Self-Regulation Children learn self-regulation by trial and error. When we immedia