Level UP

My wife and I were recently out for dinner. For some reason, we no longer call it “going on a date.” Maybe it's because we’re an old married couple. Who knows. Anyhow, while we sat at our table, we could see them all around us. Whatever direction we looked in, we saw at least one. Usually more. And we felt sad because of what we saw. Kids sitting motionless and in isolation, although right across from their moms and dads, staring blankly into glowing boxes they held in their hands. Well, at least their thumbs showed some life. And it made me think. There’s a curious phenomenon in modern parenting that deserves a closer look. Let’s call it the “Leash-and-Launch Paradox.” It goes like this: Parents will hover like anxious drones the minute their child steps outside the house, fearing scraped knees, stranger danger, or the off-chance their kid might eat non-organic dirt.  And yet, when it comes to cell phones and other devices? We hand them over like a peace offering. No manual. No bo...

  It’s so confusing.  You just want to figure it out but you’re so baffled, you don’t even know what is the right question to ask.  You wonder how you got yourself into this as you try real hard to keep the question mark from hanging mid air over your head. At the same time, you contort your face to hide the growing signs of confusion. You raise your antenna like a longhorn beetle , scanning for anything, anywhere that can help you figure out what is going on. Dazed, bewildered, and hustling to keep up, you take your turn and blindly make a play.  And that was just the first 5 seconds of the game. You have another 3+ hours to go and you are already exhausted. Let’s be honest—parenting in the digital age can feel like trying to win a game you don’t know the first thing about. Suddenly, your kid’s best friends are gamer tags you don’t recognize, and they’re talking about “clutch revives,” “cracked shields,” and “the squad.” You’re nodding along like, “Yep, totally un...

  I really dislike pop-up ads. I’m just trying to look at the weather on my phone and out of nowhere, this giant box makes its presence known by covering the entire screen. Mockingly, it hides whether or not I need an umbrella or suntan lotion. “You must deal with me first!” it screams as it holds me hostage until the time is up or I can find that tiny little X or “close” button that is so cleverly hidden. With all of the self-control known to mankind, I keep from yeeting the phone across the room. Let’s face it: being socially awkward is kind of like being stuck with a pop-up ad that follows you around all day. You try to close it, ignore it, or pretend it’s not there—but it just keeps popping back up during small talk, group settings, or when (heaven forbid) someone makes eye contact from across the room. For many of us, especially teens and young adults, navigating social interactions can feel like trying to do a trust fall with no one behind you. And in an age where “liking” s...

So, your kid is spending a lot of time playing video games alone… And by "a lot," we mean they’ve basically formed a committed relationship with their headset, have a deeper bond with their console than with their cousin, and speak more fluent Minecraft than English. Before you panic or try to delete every app that ends in “-craft” or “-night,” let’s take a breath. This isn’t a “video games are evil” article. I promise . But it is a look behind the screen because sometimes, gaming in isolation isn’t just a hobby. It’s a signal. Let’s connect some dots. Social muscles don’t grow in a cave. You know how kids get better at soccer by playing soccer? Or become better readers by reading? Same deal with friendships. Kids need actual practice with people to grow socially—facial expressions, tone of voice, awkward pauses, and all. But if our kids spend most of their time battling digital dragons instead of sharing snacks and side-eyes with real friends those social muscles become unde...