By our headline alone, you probably know what this article is going to be about. But are you surprised? Probably not.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began and everyone around the country went on lockdown and was forced to rearrange their lives to account for being home nearly 24/7, a lot of things happened. We all had to get used to living entirely at home. Working at home, working out at home, and even taking up the skill of making our own Sourdough bread.

If you have kids, what you also had to get used to? Was having them home. All. Of. The. Time.

Sure, we love our kids. But being in the same space as them with no breaks can be exhausting. That’s why it’s not a shock whatsoever that screen time has increased significantly since quarantine started. Besides the fact that school had become remote, there was not a whole heck of a lot of things to do besides watch TV, scroll the phones or play with a tablet.

How else are you as a parent, and even a kid at home, going to gain some sanity, anyway?

 

The New York Times recently reported a “screen time crisis,” explaining how screen time has jumped drastically—even doubled in just a couple of months—since the start of COVID-19. The concern for this lies in the fact that screen time isn’t the best substitute for other activities that can enhance social and physical development.

But it’s the parents’ reactions to the “news” that really makes us laugh. The most common response? “No sh*t.”

“Here’s the thing. WE KNOW THIS. And honestly, how can we even muster up the energy to care?” one mom named Cassandra Stone wrote in her article for ScaryMommy. “There’s a goddamn pandemic that’s still claiming the health and lives of countless people every single day. Most schools are operating on an online basis, and winter temperatures are keeping everyone indoors. Is it important for them to get outside when they can? Of course. A change of scenery and a dose of fresh air is always important. But it’s also unrealistic to expect them to be able to do that all day, every day.”

She goes on to say that with parents trying to work full time from home, plus be full-time parents, it’s near impossible not to plop your baby in front of a TV to get anything done.

Plus, is technology REALLY the absolute worst thing in the world?

“Throughout most of the past year, children are isolated from everything and everyone they hold dear. Technology has allowed them to stay connected to their friends, to continue their education, and, for older kids, to stay informed,” Stone wrote.

Other moms chimed in with the same thoughts, but this comment below is basically what we’re all thinking:

“I do not want to read your hot take about kids and screens during a once in a lifetime pandemic. We are all doing our goddamn best. I will not add some bullsh*t parent shaming fear based judgment to my already overly long list of surviving right now,” said Leslie Grossman on Twitter.

What do you think about this New York Times article? Have your kids experienced increased screen time during the pandemic?