Motherhood can be a beautiful yet overwhelming journey — especially in today’s hyper-connected world. Most of us are quietly grappling with the same tension: we love technology, we depend on it, and we’re also watching it slowly reshape our children’s childhoods in ways we didn’t sign up for. On the latest episode of the Parenting Reboot, I sit down with Danielle Mussafi — a Brooklyn-based early childhood educator, Substack writer, and creator of Ordinary Animals — to talk about what it means to parent and teach with intention in an age of infinite distraction. Danielle’s husband is a high school teacher. Between the two of them, they see every stage of what technology is doing to young people — in classrooms, in playgrounds, and at home. And their shared conclusion? It’s not working. It’s not worth it. Why “Ordinary Animals”? Danielle’s philosophy centers on one quietly radical idea: we are human animals, and that is enough. In a world that constantly nudges us to optimize, perform, and produce — Danielle argues for the opposite. She invites us to celebrate our ordinariness. To find meaning not in highlight reels, but in the mundane, the unplanned, the unphotographed. Motherhood, she says, has been one of the most grounding forces of her life — not because it made her extraordinary, but because it made her real. (And yes — we talk about matrescence, the profound psychological transformation of becoming a mother. Fun fact: it still hasn’t officially made it into the dictionary.) Thanks for reading The Parenting Reboot with Deepa! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. The Disappearance of Free Play As an early childhood educator, Danielle has watched a slow erosion happen in real time. Safe, unstructured outdoor spaces for kids are disappearing. The village has thinned out. Third spaces — the parks, open spaces, the after-school corner — are vanishing. And when kids can’t negotiate, argue, invent rules, and manage boredom together without adult supervision, something important goes missing. “Sometimes coming up with the rules of the game takes hours. And then they only play for a little bit — because the rules, the negotiating, is the play.”- Danielle TV and phones, she says, have become default co-parents — not because parents are failing, but because the social net we once relied on has frayed. We don’t live in villages anymore. Extended families are spread thin. And safe places for children to simply be children are harder to find. The Push Back Against EdTech Danielle and her husband aren’t alone in their skepticism — and the conversation is finally starting to shift. Teachers and parents are seeing, firsthand, that technology in classrooms isn’t delivering on its promises. EdTech was sold as a revolution. Many are now questioning the return. She’s not anti-tech. She’s pro-intentionality. “It’s not screens, screens, screens,” she says. “If you can separate it out and just say — I’m going to wait as long as I possibly can to introduce personal devices to my children — that’s where you start.” So, What Does “Going Analog” Actually Mean? I asked Danielle to define it. Her answer surprised me with its simplicity: “It’s really just about reclaiming small moments of your attention and your intention inside whatever life you’re actually living.” Not a rejection of technology. Not a privilege reserved for those who can opt out. Just a conscious redirect — toward breath, toward movement, toward presence. The things she suggests are mostly free: take a walk, write a gratitude list, do 10 jumping jacks, spend 15 minutes colouring. These aren’t lifestyle upgrades. They’re attention practices. And if going analog feels like a privilege? Danielle is direct: “Then we may have lost the plot.” The Practical Bit: Audio as a Bridge If you’re trying to transition your kids away from screens, Danielle offers one beautifully simple tip: try audio first. TV delivers the strongest dopamine hit of any screen — vivid colors, fast pace, a completely passive experience. Switching a child straight from that to building blocks is a recipe for a meltdown (their nervous system is adjusting, not being difficult). Key Takeaways: * Matrescence is real — becoming a mother transforms your identity, and that transformation deserves to be named and honored. * Free, unstructured play is disappearing — and with it, the social and emotional skills children develop when left to negotiate the world themselves. * Third spaces matter — communities, institutions, and governments have a role to play in creating safe, unsupervised spaces for kids to be kids. * EdTech isn’t delivering — teachers and parents are pushing back, and the conversation is finally gaining mainstream traction. * Going analog isn’t all-or-nothing — it’s about reclaiming small moments of attention, one intentional choice at a time. * Audio is your bridge — when transitioning kids from screen time, use audio as a middle step before jumping to active play. * Find your people — seek out parents and educators in your community who share your values around low-tech childhood. For more insights on parenting and navigating the digital landscape, check out Danielle’s work at Ordinary Animals. Show her some love! Get full access to The Parenting Reboot with Deepa at deepavd.substack.com/subscribe
