It’s Not OK To Be a Jerk
Can’t we all just get along?
I’ve spent the past hour replying to the last of the comments to a story I wrote about my daughter’s iPhone use. There were nearly 300 comments, which I enjoyed reading and responding to.
I learned something along the way: most people are incredibly decent and kind. Many people told me I was a good mother. They said not to beat myself up for failing to curb my daughter’s iPhone use. They said I was doing the best I could. Some shared stories about their own struggles. Lots of people offered constructive criticism and valuable advice — much of which I’ve taken.
Quite a few young people encouraged me to share in my daughter’s tech enthusiasms and find more creative outlets for her. For Christmas we bought an art app called Procreate, which my daughter loves. So, thanks for that great advice.
But not everyone was nice.
“This is the worst piece of writing I read. You’re a horrible parent,” wrote one reader.
As if that weren’t clear enough, this reader took the time to add a follow-up comment:
“You’re a terrible parent. Please don’t be surprised if your daughter hates you.”
Another called me a “doormat”. (There should be a rule on Medium that if you’re going to say something…
