I cannot imagine giving an elementary-school kid a smartphone. A flip phone for emergencies? Sure (and yes, they do still make those). A game machine with unfettered Internet access, at an age when they’re still learning time management and haven’t learned to curate their own Internet experience yet? Absolutely not.

As mean as this sounds, kids do actually need some time to be bored. It helps them develop their imaginations. And yes, reading can help.