To Be Continued …
So Mike and I were eating farro bowls and french fries at our favorite restaurant the Daisy when I said, “I saw a video about how screen time is making our kid a dopamine addict and what are we gonna do?”
Mike: long sigh. I think he thinks that one day I’m going to see a video about Viking parenting or dopamine addiction or minimalist survivalist eco farming cohousing and just sell our house and all our stuff right out from under him and inform him that his wife, child, and family home are now enjoying an off-grid yurt lifestyle where none of us speak the language. “Come on honey, this will be fantastic!” I’ll tell him. And it would. It really would.
But he says he’d prefer to live where we already live, with the electricity and indoor plumbing and yes, screens. And so I wouldn’t really try to sneak in a wholesale life-change. Not really really. I’d discuss my concerns and see if we can middle-way it.
And so, I opened up a collaborative discussion with: “I mean, don’t you think it’s scary with all the overdoses and everything that we are basically programming our ten-year-old to be a dopamine addict by letting him watch so much Minecraft YouTube.”
Mike: “Who was this guy in the video you saw?”
Me: “I don’t know, some guy.” (waving hand) And as I’m saying it I realize that Mike, who has devoted himself to bringing evidence-based rigor to decision making in healthcare and stuff like that, is probably wondering how the eff his own wife can see some random no name no credential say something incendiary and a) assume it’s true, b) get riled up, and c) want to take action on this piece of questionable information.
But hey, it keeps it spicy.
So Mike is like, “Well, dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the body, so we all have dopamine.”
Me: “Yes but if he’s engaged in something that spikes it how will he ever enjoy like, just regular life. Won’t he always be chasing an elevated state.”
Mike: “Soooo, neuro-chemically the way it works is …”
Me: “Ooh I just got a text from Janelle I gotta take this hang on.”
Me: Texting Janelle about who my hairdresser is, vouching for her blonde chops disavowing knowledge of her darker hue skill set.
Mike: (Eats fries, pats brownie under the table)
Me: So anyway that’s why I think it’s important that we get rid of all our televisions.
Mike: But you love television.
Me: But it’s bad.
To Be Continued ….
I’m gonna keep going!!!
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