Let’s start by separating the “lazy parent” argument from the “kids shouldn’t have devices” argument. You can be a good parent and let your kids play on the iPad, and you can be a bad parent with a house full of encyclopaedias.

As a tech-savvy parent wanting to raise tech-savvy children, I’ve certainly heard pushback from well-meaning but ultimately wrong-thinking friends and relatives who think that my children’s use of technology, whether it be iPad, iPod or whatever, makes them soft or is an example of lazy parenting.

Marshall talks about how his daughter’s exposure to technology and media has helped her develop more critical thinking skills, patience and reinforcement of good behavior. That parallels my own experience.