Reclaiming childhood

We are starting to move away from the phone-based childhood, writes social psychologist Jonathan Haidt in the New York Times. States are banning smartphones in school, so students can concentrate in class and socialize with friends during breaks. Australia has moved to protect children from addictive social media, and other countries plan to follow.

Perhaps most important, "parents are beginning to let go," letting their kids play outside, unsupervised, with friends.

"Groups of families are forming 'playborhoods' where children are free to roam among the participating homes," he writes. Parents are dropping kids off at the neighborhood park. "More than 1,000 schools nationwide have adopted the Let Grow Experience, which gives children the assignment to do something new on their own — with permission from their parents but without their help."

Parents write to me every day sharing simple yet moving stories. Stories about children riding bicycles around their neighborhoods. Stories about children going into stores alone while mom waits in the car. Stories about conflicts they resolved on their own, friendships formed, knees skinned and adventures had. All of this has been possible because children have more time and attention for — and freedom in — the real world.

Haidt is hopeful that the movement will grow. But he worries about AI-powered chatbots implanted in toys and stuffed animals, encouraging children to form "empty friendships and relationships with non-humans."

Already, AI "friends" are "talking with children about sex and suicide, as tech companies race to push A.I. into every possible product," he writes. We don't need another generation raised by Silicon Valley. We need to get "back to the real world, to human connection, and to a richer, freer, more joyful childhood."