Did you also drink while you were pregnant? Even though the occasional glass of wine is totally fine, women are advised not to drink at all. Why is that? Because the recommendations were not made for you. Or for me. They are made for the general public most of whom can’t or won’t be able to heed a nuanced warning. They will hear “it’s ok to drink” and do just that.

Just like they will hear an educator say her child tests above her age level and watches as much TV as she wants so it’s totally fine for others to do that. Do you think all those other kids have great educational games at home? Lots of arts & crafts? Parents reading to them daily? A safe environment to go outside and play? How about attending a Montessori school? My son’s private Montessori school costs more than a minimum wage earner makes in a year. That is not the life of a vast majority of children in this country! Those children’s parents are whom the AAP is trying to reach with their recommendations.

When you say:

TV is fine. My kid is fine. And, so is yours.

Understand that your kid is fine; my kids are fine; but a lot of kids aren’t fine. Yourself and the hundreds of people chiming in “Amen!” aren’t going to help those kids and may even harm those whose caregivers just see a headline. The AAP recommendations are based on data, not anecdotes as one commenter pointed out. And they are intended for a wide public audience, not just the privileged people who read Medium.