Katie Dickison

LBST 391

Sally Walters

October 23, 2019

                                                      Reading Review 3

What struck me when reading “The Dangers of Distracted Parenting” was the mention that parents spend more time providing care for their children today than they did in the 1960s. In today’s society parents are more hands-on than ever before because they know just how important those infant years are for a child’s development. But the question needs to be asked as to how valuable that time is when a mother’s face is stuck to her cellphone rather than her baby? This face-to-face interaction or “serve and return” as it is referred to in the article is so important for a child’s brain development because it is the only way they can learn and communicate from their mother when words are not an option. When communication is interrupted by a cellphone there is a lack of learning taking place and on top of that, there is also physical danger involved, as well. As the article mentions, “These findings attracted a decent bit of media attention to the physical dangers posed by distracted parenting, but we have been slower to reckon with its impact on children’s cognitive development.”(Christakis, 2018) The way that the media frames certain issues plays a major role in how serious and immediate we believe an issue to be. If something is getting more attention we apply more importance to that issue, and if that issue seems to be more of an immediate danger, rather than gradual, then the same rule applies. However, that should not always be the case. There is an equal amount of danger in the gradual, just as there can be in the immediate. This discussion also brings to question, how to get information across to parents in a way that will lead to change? Come to think of it, I don’t believe that simply reading a book or article will have that great of an impact on anybody. People can’t just be told what to do and be expected to act accordingly. It’s sad to say, but I believe that the only way for someone to change is to experience firsthand the consequences or have someone close to them be affected by their actions. You can only be convinced by yourself, no one else. I for one can be told countless times of the decision I should be making or the way that something should be done according to the people around me, but if I am not convinced of it myself, I cannot make a change. So I don’t know if that solves the issue and it’s obvious that I don’t have the answers, but I hope in the future people will continue to do research on these issues and come up with answers for parents. And if it’s not too much to ask, sooner rather than later would be great! Also as a reminder, the article mentions, parents need to know that they are allowed to take a break; that they are allowed to take a moment to themselves and put their kid in the playpen. But that when they do spend time with their child that it be just the two of them; no technological influence. Parents have a right to be happy as well, just as long as that means their child isn’t suffering for it.

Reference: Christakis, E. (2018, June 16). The Dangers of Distracted Parenting. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/07/the-dangers-of-distracted-parenting/561752/.