The Best Parenting Hack Is Being Rich
The article discusses a new report suggesting that screen time is detrimental to young children's development. It argues that the ability to follow such expert advice is often a privilege of wealth, rather than just a parenting choice.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of socioeconomic status and health outcomes, suggesting that 'best practices' in parenting are often inaccessible to lower-income families.
Young kids shouldn’t have screen time, a new report warns. But who can afford to follow that advice?
Illustration by Jonelle Afurong / The Atlantic. Sources: alexsl / Getty; ZargonDesign / Getty. August 3, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save A news flash that won’t surprise anyone: Screen time is bad for young kids. The latest such reminder came from a systematic review conducted by a consortium of British researchers, who found that more screen exposure for toddlers is consistently associated with less interaction between the parent and child, as well as delayed development, sleep issues, and eating problems. The authors determined that children under 2 should not get any intentional screen time.
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