An Anxious Generation—of Parents

Parental anxiety—more than kids’ tech use—drives overprotective parenting that undermines children’s growth.

Christi­anity Today essay argues that while smartphones and social media matter, unchecked parental fear in the West fuels smothering, control-oriented parenting that stifles independence.

Parents miscalibrate risk—over-preparing for rare dangers while ignoring common harms from constant hovering—and resist school smartphone bans for “safety and ease.”

For Christians, the issue is spiritual: anxiety and control conflict with Jesus’ call to trust God amid inevitable trouble, urging confession, repentance, and “holy indifference.”

Letting go—practicing trust and granting real responsibility—builds kids’ confidence and competence, as illustrated by the Belize vignette where the child gains courage through managed risk.