Aarushi Bhandari, Davidson College

In the trailer for “Toy Story 5,” a little girl named Bonnie is playing with her toys when a package arrives in the mail.

She opens it to find Lilypad, a tablet for children.

The iconic toys from the series – Woody, Buzz Lightyear, the Potato Heads, Forky and Slinky Dog – then watch in dismay as Bonnie casts them all aside in favor of the bright tablet screen. Rex the dinosaur exclaims, “What? Extinction? Not again!”

The film zeros in on a uniquely 21st-century phenomenon: the “iPad kid,” a term used – often disparagingly – to describe a generation of children who grew up enchanted by screens.

A lot of the discussion around tablet use among kids shames parents, framing it as an example of lazy or bad parenting. Yet factors such as long working hours and lack of access to affordable childcare compel many parents to rely on tablets.

As a scholar of the attention economy – and also as a mom to a 4-year-old – I’ve noticed a disconnect between the resources U.S. society offers parents versus what’s expected of them in the digital age.

’ Woody, Buzz and the gang must prove that traditional toys still matter when Bonnie becomes captivated by a high-tech tablet named Lilypad.

The pandemic and the ‘square au pair’

When the first “Toy Story” came out in 1995, many single-income families could still afford to comfortably raise multiple kids. It was more common for new parents to live near their extended families, such as grandparents, to provide childcare support. Federal policies provided some low-income families with cash assistance that helped ease the cost of transition to parenthood.

Since then, parenting has become a lot more challenging. Single-income households with kids under 18 have steadily declined as wages have stagnated, forcing both parents into the workforce. At the same time, it’s harder to qualify for government benefits.

And even when moms do earn a paycheck, working moms experience what sociologists call the “motherhood penalty” – career disadvantages, such as lower wages and promotion barriers, due to childbirth – even as U.S. parental leave policies remain weak.

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So it’s hardly a surprise that fewer Americans are choosing to become parents under these conditions. But those who did have kids in the years leading up to 2020 ran smack into the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lockdown that started in March 2020 following the outbreak of the pandemic led to closures of schools and many workplaces. Many parents either worked from home or provided critical work in grocery stores and hospitals. Kids stayed home and schools transitioned to remote-learning models.

It’s important to remember that many institutions with social legitimacy and authority encouraged the use of tablets during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

School systems around the world normalized their use for remote learning. Children as young as 4 were given tablets, which gave their parents space to complete their own remote work and other household tasks, with some moms referring to it as “the square au pair.”

In this sense, the tablet became a form of school-sanctioned childcare.

Economic activity was minimally disrupted. Productivity hummed along. And the kids? Comfortably distracted.

For some households, there’s little choice

When lockdowns ended, tablets remained integrated into the education system. In 2021, 4 in 5 U.S. households with children had a tablet. Beyond schoolwork, kids also use tablets for activities, such as video games and watching TV.

The adverse impacts of excessive screen time in general has been well documented for decades. But scholars have only recently unpacked the specific harms of interactive tablet use among young children.

Children who use tablets are more likely to experience emotional dysregulation and dependency on screens. Researchers have also found tablet use among kids to be significantly associated with ADHD diagnoses.

At the same time, research shows screen time use among children is tied to social class.

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Parents from working- and middle-class households are more likely to rely on screens compared to high-income parents, who can hire childcare services, such as full-time nannies.

Parental education is also a factor. Americans generally have little grasp of digital hygiene – knowledge about best practices to minimize negative effects of screens. But households with parents who didn’t graduate from college are even more in the dark.

And while schools hand out tablets, most of them fail to provide students and families with a comprehensive education on the adverse impacts of excessive screen time.

In other words, this isn’t a Generation Alpha problem. Most people – adults included, with or without children – aren’t properly educated and informed about their choices around technology use. Yet adults continue to be shamed if they hand their kid a tablet. All the while, parents navigate the added burdens of challenging the educational status quo around tablets.

Frankenstein’s village

When work is the only sturdy pillar in a society where government benefits for low-income people, family ties and community institutions have eroded, tablets replace the metaphorical village – the web of social support that helps families thrive.

In pursuit of jobs or affordable housing, many young parents move farther from their extended families and the communities where they grew up. The working parents who are forced to rely on daycare – sending kids as young as a few weeks old – end up spending an exorbitant amount of money on the service.

Meanwhile, the persistence of traditional gender roles ensures that many moms still go home to a second shift: Working women continue to disproportionately cook, clean and care for children. No matter how overworked or exhausted some parents are, they cannot afford to hire help as the inflation and cost-of-living crises hit historic highs.

Big Tech takes advantage of this crisis with a “solution” that ultimately treats children as products, manipulating their emotions and mining their data. As I argue in my book, “Attention and Alienation,” children’s dependency on screens is a key component of the attention economy.

The earlier a life is monetized, the longer it is profitable.

“Toy Story 5” and its critical take on the tablet may be helpful. But it will take more than a blockbuster movie to protect small kids from the harms of too much screen time. Instead, I think it will require strong parental leave policies, expansive and affordable childcare access, fair wages and shared household labor.

In other words, there needs to be a full rehabilitation of the village.

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Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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The big summer trip is getting harder to pull off. What families are doing instead.

(Tiffany Miller) Ask most Americans about their favorite summer memory, and water shows up somewhere — a lake at dusk, a boat rocking gently, quiet mornings with nowhere else to be. For a lot of them, that feeling has been easier to remember than recreate.

As travel costs climb and traditional vacations feel increasingly complicated, the appeal of something closer to home has grown. Each year, 85 million Americans find it on the water, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

Part of boating’s appeal is rooted in nostalgia and connection. Many people are drawn to the kinds of unplugged experiences tied to childhood — time outdoors, shared adventures and uninterrupted moments together. According to a Discover Boating survey, 85% of current boat owners say their fondest childhood memories involved being on the water, with nearly half recalling those experiences before age 13.

The costs look different when stacked against a traditional vacation. According to NMMA, a week at an all-inclusive resort for a family of four runs around $5,000 to $8,000. Boat rentals run around $75 per hour, entry-level boat financing costs a few hundred dollars a month and boat club memberships offer access to multiple boats for a monthly fee, typically $150 to $375 after a one-time initiation fee. Many families are discovering that boating can offer multiple smaller vacations throughout the summer at a comparable cost.

Those lower-commitment options are more than just a budgeting tool — they are a first step into the lifestyle. According to the survey, 45% of prospective boat buyers expressed interest in renting or chartering before committing to a purchase, while interest in boat clubs and fractional ownership also remained high. The survey further found that 49% plan to own within two years, and 46% are focused on boats priced under $50,000.

For Americans deciding how to spend their time this summer, that flexibility may be part of boating’s growing appeal. It offers something many vacations promise but do not always deliver: the ability to truly disconnect and be present — not just once a year, but repeatedly throughout the season.

The pull toward the water may be deeper than nostalgia. Research shows there’s a connection between water and well-being — the sight and sound of water can help people feel calmer, lower stress and support overall wellness. The concept of “Blue Mind” describes the mild meditative state associated with being near, in, on or under water. For families looking to unplug, boating offers a way to step away from screens, slow down and recharge.

Methodology
The quantitative survey was fielded Aug. 22, 2025 through Sept. 12, 2025. It included 500 boat owners and 500 prospective owners. Boat owners are defined as those who own (or used to own) a boat and consider their primary vessel a motorized/power boat or sailboat. Prospective owners are defined as 50% or more likely to purchase a motorized/power boat or sailboat in the future and not a current or lapsed owner.  Note: All insights collected reflect opinions of surveyed boat owners and prospective owners only.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:

Discover Boating

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Last Updated on June 2, 2026 by Daily News Staff

SeaWorld is leaning hard into summer nights in 2026, rolling out a coast-to-coast entertainment lineup across Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio. The headline addition: all three parks will feature all-new nighttime drone shows, paired with nighttime animal presentations, seasonal concerts, parades, and event-style programming designed to keep families in the park after sunset.

SeaWorld says the goal is a bigger, more immersive summer experience that blends animal encounters with high-energy entertainment. Marc Swanson, CEO of United Parks & Resorts (SeaWorld’s parent company), said the company is “raising the bar across the country” with a mix of “cutting-edge drone displays” and “nonstop family fun” meant to create lasting memories.

What’s new across all three parks

Across Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio, SeaWorld’s summer push centers on nighttime programming. The parks are introducing new drone spectacles (with San Diego and San Antonio debuting drone shows for the first time, and Orlando launching a new version), plus new nighttime animal presentations and event-style entertainment.

Families planning travel around theme parks will want to watch two things: start dates and nighttime schedules, since several offerings roll out in late May and mid-June depending on the park.

SeaWorld Orlando: Electric Ocean returns June 12

In Orlando, SeaWorld’s summer nights are anchored by Electric Ocean, beginning June 12. The event is built as a full evening block: performance show, dance party energy, animal presentations, and a closing sky show.

Electric Ocean includes:

• Hydro Surge: Cirque Spectacular Show, a high-energy cirque-style production with acrobatics, dancers, and live drumming
• Club SeaGlow, an evening DJ party with dancers and atmospheric acts
• An all-new drone spectacle, featuring hundreds of synchronized drones forming ocean-themed scenes
• Ignite: A Fireworks Spectacular, returning with an enhanced mix of fireworks, fountains, lighting, and music

Also beginning June 12, SeaWorld Orlando is introducing three new nighttime animal presentations:

• Shamu Celebration: Light Up The Night
• Sea Lions Tonite
• Dolphins: Touch the Sky

SeaWorld also teased a new attraction opening this summer: Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice, described as a scientific mission exploring the most powerful forces that shape one of the most extreme environments on Earth.

SeaWorld San Diego: Drone show debut, Shark Encounter, and a summer concert series

SeaWorld San Diego’s summer programming begins May 22, with a slate that runs from daytime experiences into nighttime entertainment. The biggest “first” is the park’s debut drone show.

New offerings starting May 22 include:

• Ocean of Dreams Drone Show, a 12-minute nighttime show featuring 600 synchronized drones set to a soaring soundtrack
• Shark Encounter, a refreshed, interactive, immersive experience featuring sharks from 11 species
• Dolphin Adventures, featuring dolphins, pilot whales, and “the next generation of dolphins”
• The Wonders of North American Wildlife, highlighting native wildlife diversity and rescue/rehabilitation stories
• Deep Sea Disco, a dance-focused nighttime experience under SkyTower lights

On June 12, SeaWorld San Diego adds three nighttime animal presentations:

• Shamu Celebration: Light Up The Night
• Sea Lions Tonite
• Dolphins: Touch the Sky

The park is also bringing back fan-favorite shows including BMX Blast! Powered by BODYARMOR and Pirates Ahoy! The Battle for Mermaid Cove. Plus, SeaWorld says its 2026 Summer Concert Series will run every Saturday, spotlighting artists tied to ’90s and early-2000s hip hop and R&B.

SeaWorld San Antonio: Electric Ocean, a 400-drone finale, and a new family coaster

SeaWorld San Antonio’s summer lineup also starts May 22, led by its own version of Electric Ocean. The park’s summer nights are built around parade energy, stunt action, and a drone finale.

Electric Ocean in San Antonio includes:

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• RhythMotion Ocean Parade, featuring floats, dancers, and characters
• Hydropower: Xtreme FX, a waterski stunt show with pyrotechnics, lasers, and live music
• SeaWorld Illuminight Drone Finale, featuring 400 synchronized drones creating marine-life-inspired animations

San Antonio is also adding two nighttime animal presentations beginning May 22:

• Shamu Celebration: Light Up the Night
• Sea Lions Tonite

For families looking for a ride-centered reason to visit, SeaWorld San Antonio is promoting Barracuda Strike, described as the tallest inverted family coaster in North America.

Annual Pass angle for repeat visits

SeaWorld is positioning its Annual Pass as the best way to experience the summer lineup, emphasizing unlimited visits and perks like savings on merchandise, reserved seating, and add-ons.

A note on SeaWorld’s conservation and rescue work

Alongside the entertainment rollout, SeaWorld highlighted its conservation and animal rescue efforts. The company says it has helped more than 42,000 animals to date and that the SeaWorld Conservation Fund has provided more than $20 million to nearly 1,400 organizations since 2003.

Planning tips: what to watch before you book

If you’re planning a family trip around these summer events, the key details to confirm are:

• Event start dates (May 22 vs. June 12 depending on the park)
• Nighttime showtimes for drone shows and animal presentations
• Concert dates (San Diego’s Saturday series)
• Park hours and whether any offerings require reservations or have limited seating

Source: SeaWorld (press release distributed via PRNewswire, May 7, 2026).

Related: Sea World Orlando

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