When I was a kid, we’d get together with family and do our thing. Then we’d all eat a meal, and usually after the meal it was all right, everyone go do whatever you want, and the kids would usually go down the basement and play toys or video games, and adults sit around digesting, having some drinks, etc.

Fast forward to now, I’ll bring my kids tablets or whatever, and when the party is entering the food coma stage, I say do whatever you want, you’ve spent the last couple hours talking to people, or just existing around people who are 30-60 years older than you.

I feel like it always comes to this, but everything in moderation. I played a lot of Nintendo as a kid, and I grew up well adjusted (enough), and I don’t doubt my kids can do the same. For me, the whole tablet thing just stretches out the amount of time I get to hang. Kids get antsy. Shit, I get antsy and I’m an adult, but if letting them do whatever for 30-60m at the end of a party let’s me unwind with my family and friends, it’s fine.