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Sorry, I find it very hard to believe a 8yo (mind you, the author states these sentiments came years before their 11th birthday) formulated such observations an

Sorry, I find it very hard to believe a 8yo (mind you, the author states these sentiments came years before their 11th birthday) formulated such observations and principles and lived by them so thoroughly for years. Seems like one of those “and then everyone clapped” stories. Kids are not stupid and can show incredible wit, but the way the article is written and the kid’s thoughts phrased make me feel someone’s pulling my leg

pawelduda 3y ago
Maybe the kid was young Albert Einstein?
sweeter 3y ago
Yea. This article also had some really weird stuff in it and often had the author projecting their beliefs on to their children... and full of cheesy quotes about how she couldn't remember what the year 519 was, and her son replied "thats the heyday of Constantinople!" Its a very "wine mom" vibe, my kids are very smart! Smarter than adults and I just didn't realize that I could just *not* use the internet. like jfc. Also lmao at citing JK Rowling and Soledad O'brien as "luminaries"
satellite2 3y ago
Only on HN can everyone miss the parodic aspect to this article. Context guys, she is a mother of 10 to 12 yo kids. Virtually all she hears about is how to delay or avoid smartphone for her kids. There are many voices that support that the suicide epidemic lived by teen girls is caused by social networks. It's like the classic everyone is smoking around me and I'm desperately trying to start without success.
- Almondsetat 3y ago
  Sorry for taking an article seriously and reading it with genuine interest thinking it would actually provide some information!
- nolongerthere 3y ago
  The context here is that this was written nearly four years ago, the suicide epidemic was just getting started and many refused to even acknowledge the idea that technology could have any part to play in declining child happiness.
brightlancer 3y ago
She says she tried to give him the phone at 11 and he's 14 now. She also seems preoccupied with her phone, so I can see him deciding before that point that he wants nothing to do with it. (He may also have been influenced by the behavior of kids his age.) More generally, pre-adolescents sometimes decide they're going to be vegetarian or Buddhist or Republican or whatever -- it usually isn't that the kid has some well formulated observations and principles (though that does happen), but more likely the kid is hopping on a trend or reacting against one.

pawelduda 3y ago

Maybe the kid was young Albert Einstein?

sweeter 3y ago

Yea. This article also had some really weird stuff in it and often had the author projecting their beliefs on to their children... and full of cheesy quotes about how she couldn't remember what the year 519 was, and her son replied "thats the heyday of Constantinople!" Its a very "wine mom" vibe, my kids are very smart! Smarter than adults and I just didn't realize that I could just *not* use the internet. like jfc. Also lmao at citing JK Rowling and Soledad O'brien as "luminaries"

satellite2 3y ago

Only on HN can everyone miss the parodic aspect to this article. Context guys, she is a mother of 10 to 12 yo kids. Virtually all she hears about is how to delay or avoid smartphone for her kids. There are many voices that support that the suicide epidemic lived by teen girls is caused by social networks. It's like the classic everyone is smoking around me and I'm desperately trying to start without success.

Almondsetat 3y ago
Sorry for taking an article seriously and reading it with genuine interest thinking it would actually provide some information!
nolongerthere 3y ago
The context here is that this was written nearly four years ago, the suicide epidemic was just getting started and many refused to even acknowledge the idea that technology could have any part to play in declining child happiness.

brightlancer 3y ago

She says she tried to give him the phone at 11 and he's 14 now. She also seems preoccupied with her phone, so I can see him deciding before that point that he wants nothing to do with it. (He may also have been influenced by the behavior of kids his age.) More generally, pre-adolescents sometimes decide they're going to be vegetarian or Buddhist or Republican or whatever -- it usually isn't that the kid has some well formulated observations and principles (though that does happen), but more likely the kid is hopping on a trend or reacting against one.