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The older you get the wider the range of people you're able/expected to relate to. When you're young, a 1 or 2 year age difference is a big deal. By the time you're middle age, a decade difference makes little difference.

Basically, what you're talking about isn't a long term problem.



If the kids turn out alright then of course it won't be a problem. But that's question-begging. My argument is that parental dogmatism is dangerous. When you set out like "we're right about technology and all other parents are wrong" it's very hard to change your mind later when evidence to the contrary accumulates.

Maybe 2 of out 3 kids will have a happy "digitally minimalist" childhood and the 3rd one will be absolutely miserable. Could easily happen. Kids have their own personalities after all. How will these parents respond? My bet is the unhappy child will get blamed for being unhappy and the happy siblings will be used as proof that the parents are right.


If you don't learn how to build and keep those relationships in childhood and your teenage years, you will have hard time to relate later. Also, there is huge difference between 11 years old and 13 years old. There is no meaningful difference between 40 years old and 45 years old. And as your circle shrink to primary colleagues of the same profession, you end up living in much bigger bubble then kids do.

Lack of social engagement in childhood damages those skills forever. You may learn to get along and answer politely, but learn ing to belong, to know when and how ask for what is your right and when and how step back is massively harder in adulthood.




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