She Lets Her Child Watch TV, but There's a Catch

Writer JoAnna Novak has a 6-year-old son who likes to watch Paw Patrol. Yes, she is fully aware of the TV-is-bad-for-kids narrative, but Novak has found a way to make it work in her family. In a New York Times essay, she explains that she's begun watching episodes with him. And not watching while checking email or reading a magazine—she means watching with her full attention on the show, and her son:

• "Watching TV with my son has, for us, become that time when 'nothing' is happening. What's valuable about those minutes is how much space they leave for spontaneous connection. When my son and I watch TV together, we build a shared language together. In the end, it doesn't matter if it's TV that other parents deem actually good or TV that makes us a little dumber because it's not really about what we watch. It's about how watching together lets us bond with each other—and teaches me about my son."

Read the full essay, in which Novak writes about gaining insight into her boy by learning what makes him grow serious and what makes him howl with laughter during the shows.