Teenager 3
Appearances
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
Well, our girl is now 10. She just turned 10. And I couldn't agree more with what Lindsay said. The kind of friend group click mean girl-ness began way earlier than I ever would have anticipated. And I just cannot imagine adding social media on top of what's already happening. In her fourth grade class. And she has a great class, great school, all that.
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
But it's the dynamics and a lot of it is age appropriate and normal. But when you introduce social media on top of that, I can't even I want I want zero part of that. And I'm also just not ready to look at the top of the heads of my children all the time. I'm not ready for that. I'm not ready to have them just walk around like this all the time. I'd much rather them be head up, look around, right?
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
How are these children ever going to learn how to read a room? If they're not looking around the room, that's how we learn. That's how we learn social cues. That's how we pick up on what it means to have EQ. Look at the room. Did you notice that that person got uncomfortable? Did you see what was happening after you said this? Did you notice? Well, no, your head is down.
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
So the only thing I'll say is that, you know, a delay is not a denial. We were delaying with real purpose and intent. And that is to ensure a little bit of maturity and growth and just kind of postpone things for a little while. We have them for such a short period of time. So we don't want any bubble.
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
I'm going to say this. I think it was Lindsay that mentioned this earlier. It's okay for kids not to have access to everything. You're not always going to be invited everywhere. You're not always going to be. It's OK. I think fear of missing out has translated from kids to their parents. And parents are so anxious themselves about their kid being isolated and, you know, not included.
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
And we've said to Mike, to answer your question directly, that, you know, son, it's OK if you're not everywhere all the time at every function and every. That's OK.
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
Of course. And I think that's true. I think children appreciate boundaries, especially when they are put in place out of love. There's no punishment here. He's a great kid and we love him too much to worry about whether or not he's going to like me. I can't. I this is really this is this is a big responsibility. We take it seriously. So but thank you for that. I appreciate it.
The Oprah Podcast
Oprah and Jonathan Haidt on How Kids Can Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen Filled World
And what I said was very heartfelt. And I mean it even more right now. It's very true.