You're inferring a lot by viewing a parent on their smart phone. RE Independence: I dare say a child can play for some minutes with other children without the

You're inferring a lot by viewing a parent on their smart phone. RE Independence: I dare say a child can play for some minutes with other children without the need to interact with their parent. In fact, I'd go far as to say, interrupting a child's play is more detrimental than leaving them be and looking at your phone. In either case, I'm sure the parent has more insight than a third party passing by and is making an informed decision.