Against the Screen-Time Panic

Most parents are familiar with the guilty feeling that goes along with handing their children a digital device. After years of scaring parents about the perils of the great outdoors and the dangers of kids doing things on their own, experts have lately turned their attention to one of the last sources of distraction available to home-bound children, warning about the risks of “screen time” and decrying a generation of “iPad kids.” The move against screens has spawned bestselling books and a dazzling array of products designed to deliver children entertainment far from iPhones and tablets. The message is clear: Being a good parent means keeping your kids away from screens.