Deborah Raley retweeted
Jonathan Haidt dropped a pretty blunt warning about giving young kids iPads or phones.
He says we’ve all discovered how incredibly effective they are as pacifiers — they work almost instantly. But that’s exactly the problem.
40% of American two-year-olds already have their own iPad. Once a child gets used to constant stimulation, they basically never learn how to be bored. The moment they have even 30 seconds of downtime, they start screaming for the device.
Haidt’s advice is straightforward: If you haven’t started, don’t. If you already have, take it away. It might take 3–4 weeks for the brain to readjust, but it’s worth it.
He’s even hearing stories of preschoolers crying at drop-off — not because mom is leaving, but because the iPad is staying in the car.
It’s a sobering reminder of how quickly these devices rewire young brains and create real addiction patterns.
Have you noticed this with kids in your life, or are you trying to hold the line on screens with little ones?
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