Bill Gates sure is strict on how his children use the very technology he helped bring to the masses. In a recent interview with the Mirror, the tech mogul said his children were not allowed to own their own cellphone until the age of 14. “We often set a time after which there is no screen time, and in their case that helps them get to sleep at a reasonable hour,” he said.
Gates added that the children are not allowed to have cellphones at the table, but are allowed to use them for homework or studying. The Gates children, now 20, 17 and 14, are all above the minimum age requirement to own a phone, but they are still banned from having any Apple products in the house—thanks to Gates’ longtime rivalry with Apple founder Steve Jobs.
While the parenting choice may seem harsh, the Gates may be onto something with delaying childhood smartphone ownership. According to the 2016 “Kids & Tech: The Evolution of Today’s Digital Natives” report, the average age that a child gets their first smartphone is now 10.3 years.
“I think that age is going to trend even younger, because parents are getting tired of handing their smartphones to their kids,” Stacy DeBroff, chief executive of Influence Central, told The New York Times.
James P. Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that reviews content and products for families, additionally told the Times that he too has one strict rule for his children when it comes to cellphones: They get one when they start high school and only when they’ve proven they have restraint. “No two kids are the same, and there’s no magic number,” he said. “A kid’s age is not as important as his or her own responsibility or maturity level.”
PBS Parents also provided a list of questions parents should answer before giving their child their first phone. Check out the entire list below:
How independent are your kids?
Do your children “need” to be in touch for safety reasons—or social ones?
How responsible are they?
Can they get behind the concept of limits for minutes talked and apps downloaded?
Can they be trusted not to text during class, disturb others with their conversations, and to use the text, photo, and video functions responsibly (and not to embarrass or harass others)?
Do they really need a smartphone that is also their music device, a portable movie and game player, and portal to the internet?
Do they need something that gives their location information to their friends—and maybe some strangers, too—as some of the new apps allow?
And do you want to add all the expense of new data plans? (Try keeping your temper when they announce that their new smart phone got dropped in the toilet…)
Raising kids today doesn’t match the historical “it takes a village” experience many grew up with. Not because people don’t care, but because life doesn’t seem to line up that way anymore. Families are spread out across the country and sometimes the world. Few grandparents live just up the street. There’s no built-in help for childcare and no extra sets of hands when things get overwhelming.
In response to that missing piece in raising kids, some people have looked for other ways to create something similar. One path is Surrogate Grandparents – USA, a Facebook-based community that connects older adults with families.
An older man helps a boy water the plants. Photo credit Canva
Missing out on grandparents nearby, some find new ones online
Founded in 2015, Surrogate Grandparents – USA offers a platform that works like a community bulletin board. The goal is to bring together families bereft of nearby grandparents with older adults looking to share that kind of family role.
Over 14,000 members hope to make a surrogate family connection and the possibility of building real love. They describe the opportunity on their Facebook page as follows:
“A surrogate grandparent is a volunteer or mentor who forms a supportive, grandparent-like relationship with a child or family who may not have local grandparents. These relationships can begin online or in person, often through platforms designed to connect families and older adults.”
The typical online pattern might look like a family posting on the page that their children don’t have nearby grandparents and would love a consistent older presence in their lives. Someone responds. They all start talking. Then, they meet in person.
Those introductions can turn into something steady with regular check-ins. Children receive the face-to-face guidance and experience that an older generation can offer. The surrogate grandparents gain a sense of purpose they hadn’t anticipated at this stage of their lives.
One success story was shared in Newsweek. In 2019, Deborah Whatley, then aged 64, joined the Facebook group with her husband. Hoping to fill a need within their own lives, they connected with the Nelsons, and a beautiful relationship quickly blossomed.
The families share photos, meet in person about every month, and text regularly. “We’ve met up more times than I can count,” explained Whatley. “I just wanted to feel included. I have the time, the energy, and the desire. Discovering the surrogate grandparents group instantly brought light back into a part of my life that had turned dark,” she added.
CBS News reported that Anteres Anderson Turner and Louis Turner wished to extend their own family while raising twin boys. Janet Firestein Daw welcomed the idea of grandchildren in her life, saying, “I was getting older and I wanted to get down on the floor and play Legos and trains and read books.”
After meeting through the Facebook group, the relationship between the two families really worked. Daw continued, “It’s indescribable for me, because I haven’t had that experience before to be that grandparent, and I love it.”
Earlier this year, the Facebook group became inaccessible. There haven’t been any publicly reported reasons from Facebook itself. However, an administrator for the page shared, “Surrogate Grandparents-USA group was unfortunately erroneously removed by Meta. We are actively working to have it reinstated.”
Thankfully, the page was reopened in time. In an Instagram post dated April 11, 2026, they said, “This morning, my Surrogate Grandparents-USA group was officially reinstated.” The post continues, “What a journey this has been—stressful, emotional, and at times incredibly disheartening. But I never stopped believing in the purpose of this community…and the power of speaking up when something isn’t right.”
An extended family at the park. Photo credit Canva
A shift in how family works
The structures that used to hold families together aren’t as automatic as they once were. For a long time, grandparents lived nearby. Neighbors remained for decades. Communities were tighter, and lives were more interwoven. Support existed from a simple proximity.
But families move. Relationships change. Career and circumstance have stretched people farther apart. Places like Surrogate Grandparents – USA fill roles that certain families are missing. It may not work for everyone, but for many, it’s a chance to build community in a whole new way.
After a successful career as an artist, 80-year-old Alice Williams decided to transition into the role of social media influencer. What attracted a massive following wasn’t simply this second creative life shared on Instagram, but rather what happened when she posted that her PR packages had arrived.
In a now-viral video highlighted by People, the job of carrying these packages inside belongs to her husband. The sweet spectacle of an elderly man lumbering arms full toward home has resonated with people in a way that’s hard to ignore.
“POV my wife became an influencer at 80 years old and now I have to get the PR packages”
As the music from No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” carries the scene, the title on the video reads, “POV my wife became an influencer at 80 years old and now I have to get the PR packages.”
The husband, Don Williams, with his arms stacked with boxes and moving carefully but confidently, walks up the driveway like it’s just another regular day. No performance. No spectacle. Just a smile on a warm face during a beautiful afternoon.
His ho-hum attitude and the video’s casualness seem to have tapped into something instantly relatable. He’s just a husband being of service to his wife.
People online didn’t react to the packages. They reacted to him. Viewers were excited and hoped to have that kind of partnership, too. They also seemed impressed by how fit and natural he appeared. He was just helping out. No complaints. Here are some of those comments:
“So many things I love about this post; the love, the companionship, the nature, the house, the peace, and the supreme shirts”
“Seriously this proves ANY AGE. YOU ARE NEVER LATE”
“KING”
“Oh my heavens, what a sweet man you have! Does he happen to have an older brother, I’m 93 1/2”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better video in my life”
“I think exercising keeps him happy & alive. We need his legs strong!”
“Where am I supposed to find a man like this???”
“Obsessed with this!!!”
“so cuteeee”
“This is the life! Pops is getting those steps in and getting a little strength training in.”
There’s more to the story than just a viral moment
This story doesn’t end after one viral moment. In a follow-up post, the couple opened the PR packages together. The at-home unboxing became less about the products and more about the playful rhythm between two people enjoying each other’s company.
The appeal of these videos really isn’t about influencer culture. These moments aren’t resonating simply because an older man carries boxes or because we see a kind gesture. Most people aren’t looking for perfect love. Having something that holds up as life changes, that’s valuable.
As Alice Williams opens a new chapter in her life, the relationship doesn’t pause for reinvention. It simply adjusts to it.
Interestingly, many healthy relationships feature the woman taking a leadership role or at least having the final say. In a GOOD story about happy marriages, versions of the same four-word advice kept coming up: “Listen to your wife,” “Whatever she says goes,” “She is the boss,” and “Do what she says.” When asked how these men became so wise, one replied, “Over time.”
The sweet Instagram post resonated with many, even though it wasn’t that unusual. Similar videos of couples reuniting, partners sharing small gestures of care, or long-married sweethearts showing affection often reach millions of views.
In each case, it’s probably less about what’s happening on screen. Sure, we all love a feel-good snapshot. However, it’s more about the belief that love can be slow and steady, and that fun adventure can happen without reinventing the wheel. The Williamses offer us all a glimpse of the casually possible. Things are simply good.
An elementary school teacher and mother of three who goes by @earlyedventure on TikTok offers a strong perspective on parenting in a recent post. She maintains that modern parents are making three key mistakes that need to be addressed immediately.
In an entertaining and highly viewed post, she doesn’t hold back. Laying out a thoughtful and compelling perspective, she sends a clear message to parents about exactly what needs to change with their kids.
She begins her tough-love discussion with something many have heard, but few have heeded:
“Throw away the iPad. I’m sorry, I don’t care what you say. The data is undeniable. This is different than TV and movie time. The research shows they are vastly different. When you put an iPad in front of them, and they’re getting that constant dopamine hit for an hour, even though you think it’s educational, you are frying their brain. They show up into the classroom. They have zero empathy. They cannot be engaged.”
Solid data support her impassioned opinion. According to a 2024 study in JAMA Pediatrics, digital tablet use was associated with increased anger and frustration outbursts, such as tantrums. Early exposure to screens may also delay both cognitive development and socioemotional growth.
It’s not just the effects of screen time itself that are concerning. It’s what kids may be missing in the moments when they would normally be learning how to struggle, cope, and grow. The Guardian reported that screen time may deprive toddlers of real interactions and exposure to as many as 1,000 spoken words a day.
“Let them fail. Don’t tie their shoes for them. When their tower falls down, let them struggle and figure it out. Because when they come to the classroom, the level of helplessness is absurd,” the TikToker explains. “How I frame it to my kids: ‘Wow buddy. I’m really sorry that happened. Let’s figure out how to solve our problem.’ Start giving them that vocabulary now so that when they get older, and they get in these situations, they have that internal dialogue of, ‘Ugh, I need to solve this problem.’”
A 2024 study in Frontiers in Psychology found that children build resilience through repeated experiences of challenge, not avoidance. Trial and error, emotionally distressing experiences, and adult-supported recovery are all critical for learning self-regulation.
A 2024 report in Scientific American said that shielding children from failure can lead to more anxiety, lower coping ability, and reduced independence. By contrast, productive failure can build persistence, and children may develop stronger executive function as they mature.
A child plays with wood blocks. Photo credit: Canva
“Bring back consequences”
“Let’s bring back consequences,” the TikToker says. “As a parent, make your word as good as gold. That way, they know you mean what you say, and you’re gonna follow through on whatever it is that you say.”
She adds, “I understand positive reinforcement. It has a time and a place for it. However, the real world has consequences for actions. Whether that’s at school or out in the real world, because a cop at the end of the day isn’t gonna give a sh** about what triggers them, when they spit in his face.”
She advocates for kids by challenging their parents, saying, “Do it in a loving way. Do it with boundaries. But, I’m begging you, set them up for the real world. So that when they come to school, when they leave school, they are successful, functioning members of society that people want to be around. Me included.”
Consequences are not punishment. Kids benefit from learning right from wrong through natural and logical repercussions. A 2024 report in Psychology Today said that over-intervention in parenting can prevent children from connecting actions to outcomes. This is a crucial skill for self-regulation and decision-making. Kids who rely too heavily on external direction may struggle to develop autonomy and self-control.
With an assertive, entertaining, and emotionally charged approach, her TikTok post sparked reactions from viewers. Some had thoughts on the message itself, while others shared opinions about the way adults are raising kids today. Here are some of those responses:
“As a teacher, you can walk into a class and IMMEDIATELY tell who’s an iPad kid and who’s not”
“As a behavior teacher, I like to frame it like this – we need to teach them about consequences for there actions now while those consequences are still safe and we can control them. if we wait, the world will be less kind in its consequences.”
“A lot of parents won’t listen to this advice because it actually requires them to work harder at home.”
“All three points- spot on!”
“This made me feel better about my own parenting, thank you”
“YES! YES! YES! Teacher for 22 years! Kids have changed because parenting has changed.”
“Passionate teacher telling the truth. Thank you.”
“And also as parents we should put our phones down and be bored with them.”
“Best TikTok I’ve seen in awhile!! Teacher of 23 years and I could not agree more!!”
“Parent is a VERB”
This conversation resonates so strongly because the TikTok post challenges how children are growing up today. Between tech screens and constant stimulation, teachers and experts question whether kids have enough space to make mistakes and learn from them. Protecting children from discomfort might seem like care, but science suggests it can create people who are less mature and less resilient. This mother of three and teacher of many believes, “If you digest these and apply them, your kids will suck less out in the real world.”
