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Comment by jjav | Hacker News Reader

This is very sad. Just spend the time in person with the 5 year old, no screens, no AI, nothing impersonal. A 5 year old just wants mommy and daddy in person playing with them. No 5 year old (or any age in that neighborhood) should be exposed to screens.

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I agree with this sentiment but I admit I can't see it cut so cleanly. It's fair that no screens is the ideal, especially for young kids. I struggle to see it as ultimately sad though; if this serves only to replace human interaction for young kids, that would be bad, but this isn't necessarily so.

I think there are real issues in today's world with screens, but software and education have an amazing capability. I'd certainly caution the business towards the subject matter. The moment that this becomes a way for parents to neglect children, or for children to avoid socialisation, then it's sad. Until then, it's good to see any software initiatives aimed at exploring educational software.

I am skeptical of using AI for a tutor and would not give it to my kid, but I find the staunch no-screens sentiment equally ridiculous and similar to saying no-books.

Do you have kids? Are you telling me that you and the other parent spend (or spent) 100% of your time with your 5 year old? We spend a ton of time with our kid but also he watches educational TV. Unless you are privileged enough to have a nanny, having your kid constantly with another person is unrealistic to me. Then it is a matter of what they will do alone, and I don't see how a screen is inherently worse than other solo activities. I played video games and tinkered with DOS when I was a young kid and learned a lot, which led to my current career.

> Do you have kids? Are you telling me that you and the other parent spend (or spent) 100% of your time with your 5 year old?

Yes and yes. Always personal interaction (one of us parents, or babysitter or teachers, or friends). This is probably easier to accomplish here in Silicon Valley because most parents are in tech and thus aware of the evils involved. So none of the kids en elementary school ever had phones or tablets, so no peer pressure to have one.

> tinkered with DOS when I was a young kid and learned a lot, which led to my current career

Me too. But the key word is tinker. In those times computers required tinkering and learning if you wanted to accomplish anything with it.

Today they are just passive entertainment and advertising machines.

I was primarily pushing back on anti-screens in its absolute sense, and being somewhat pedantic. However, I largely agree with you, especially considering how screens are most often used today.

It's utterly bizarre reading the above submission, written with such glee, focused on slamming an AI in front of a 5 year old and thinking that's a good idea. Posts like this we really depress me thinking about how much a child exposed to this garbage might miss out on, sitting there like a stalker from Half Life 2.

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