The author (left) and a photo of a child holding a phone (right)

One Saturday morning before my four-year-old son’s swimming lesson, he grabbed my phone and insisted I leave it in the car.

“Last week I floated on my back like a starfish,” he said. “I looked at you but you were playing with your phone.”

I’d missed his proud moment, and he’d internalised that hurt for a whole week.

Let’s be clear – parents don’t need another guilt trip. I doubt I was “playing” on my smartphone. When kids are safely engaged, that’s our rare chance to get things done, often for their benefit.

I bet I was finishing a grocery order or organising a playdate. Or maybe I was watching cute animal reels on Instagram, who knows. Aren’t parents allowed breaks too?

But my son was insistent: “No phone!” So, I walked in with my pocket feeling weirdly light.

As the class started, I actually watched those small bodies moving through water. I noticed sunlight bouncing off the water, creating beautiful patterns everywhere.

How had I not seen this before?

I also felt tension in my shoulders which I hadn’t noticed all morning, until now. Not all of it was positive, but I felt more awake. My son waved repeatedly, clearly over the moon to have my eyes on him.

After marinating in digital life, ordinary things seem dull and unimportant. Shimmers of light don’t easily compete with the stunning sights and shocking news served up by algorithms.

But by removing that competition, by putting the........

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