[rsch]

I think this is a consequence for our generally nonsensical arrangements for raising children.

The 2 parents (or maybe 1 single parent) are supposed to do it mostly by themselves in what is called a nuclear family. That is a quite recent development. Earlier it was common to live in larger groups (like extended families) so the work of raising kids was spread out over more people.

The other thing is that is is no longer culturally acceptable to let kids roam by themselves. You always have to have them at arms length when they’re out. If you like to criticize parents for too much screen time, well, what are those kids supposed to do instead?

[zozbot234]

It takes generations to build up the sort of tightly-knit social capital that makes it generally feasible to cohabit as an "extended family" or to leave kids lightly supervised. Our arrangements for such things follow on from a general way of life that discounts long-persisting social ties as quite unimportant.