Last night, I played tag and hide-and-seek with my two oldest children. Before that, they were both on their tablets.
While we don't enforce screen time rules with our kids, we aspire toward what Aaron Stupple discusses in his book, 'The Sovereign Child', that children should be treated as autonomous individuals - as people with their own desires, capacities, and rights - rather than primarily beings to be controlled, disciplined, or shaped to conform. I worry about their screen time, but we aren't enforcing any rules on them.
However, absolutely any time I offer them the chance to play tag, hide-and-seek, or other games of their choosing, they always choose play over the tablet.
We don't need to control screen time. We need to recognize whether they are getting the interaction, relationships, and stimulation that their hearts desire.
#dadstr #parenting
