the real issue here is kim’s suggestion that healthy parenting means letting children do whatever “brings them happiness.”

half the battle of parenting is implementing rules that interfere with a child’s “happiness,” but we do it anyway because we know what’s best for them. we limit sugar, strap them into car seats, and enforce bedtimes, even despite their often loud protests. why would we not do the same with technology?

in naomi schaefer riley’s book, “be the parent, please: stop banning seesaws and start banning snapchat,” she addresses our cultural and moral failure to help parents actually be parental. riley sternly calls out parental ignorance, explaining that by ignoring common sense and choosing to hand our kids screens anyway, we are choosing “not to parent.”