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We got the beat

Miss Polly’s introduces kids to the wonders of music

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>> Robotics programs

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tips to support your future all-stars

By fAMILy fEAturES

Some of the fondest childhood memories for many people include practicing sports, game days and teammates turned friends. Parents hoping to provide their children with similar experiences can look to organized youth sports as a perfect outlet for expending some energy all while learning valuable life lessons like teamwork, goalsetting, humbly celebrating victories and bouncing back from defeat.

In fact, sports can provide a multitude of benefits for young athletes. From improving physical health to gaining valuable social and leadership skills, team-oriented activities give kids a way to explore their own interests and have a little fun. Put your future all-stars on a path to success with these tips for youth sports parents:

Encourage kids to try multiple sports

If your little ones are first-time athletes, signing up for multiple sports exposes them to a variety of options. They can navigate their own interests and discover their unique talents through each sport’s different challenges. For example, some require more endurance, like soccer and basketball, while others call on coordination and balance, such as dance or baseball. Once they’ve experienced a few activities, allowing them to choose which sports to continue participating in provides a sense of independence.

Outfit athletes with the proper gear

Each sport and activity comes with equipment requirements, ranging from

simple (a ball and a net) to complex (helmets, pads, bases and more). Proper footwear is a must, whether it’s cleats for outdoor events or shoes with ankle support for a sport like basketball. Be sure to talk to coaches or league coordinators about what equipment is provided and what you may need to purchase (or borrow).

Familiarize yourself with the sports

While you don’t need to be a hall of fame coach to enjoy your kids’ events, understanding the rules and regulations can help you be a more informed parent. Plus, it shows your little athletes you’re taking an interest in their activities when you can discuss the game together. If you’re able, one of the best ways to learn is to attend a local professional, semi-professional, college or even high school game with your children so everyone can get in on the fun together.

Make postgame cleanup a breeze

Many people don’t know sweat can lead to bacteria, which secrete acids with a distinct, stinky odor. Just think about all the bacteria living in a gym bag after your children’s big games. Behind a team of bacteriafighting scientists, Lysol Labs is hitting the road to visit youth sporting events across the country on a mission to educate parents and their young athletes that bacteria can be the source of their stinky clothes.

“A single stinky sock can contain more than 8 million bacteria,” said Callum Couser, Reckitt Research and Development Operations Manager, Hygiene.

On the cover: Erik Spoering attends a class at Miss Polly’s Music School in Franklin with his kids, Dominik and Colette Spoering. the kids are following the beat with shakers.

Photo by Warrie Dennis

Miss Polly’s class introduces tots to music’s charms thE PowER oF SoNg

By ChEryL fISCuS JENkINS | PhOtOS By WArrIE DENNIS

Polly Jones remembers well the first time many years ago she experienced The Music Class curriculum with son Oliver, who was keeping beat and playing with instruments at 3 months old.

The class set the foundation for the infant to eventually play trumpet in middle school band and sing alto in the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. It also carved a path of entrepreneurship for Jones, who had spent years as an elementary school music teacher and assistant principal and has loved singing in church and choirs since she was a young girl in Louisville, Ky.

Jones has a passion for early childhood development, especially when coupled with the power of song to enhance social, cognitive, motor and listening skills. Today, she runs Miss Polly’s Music Class in Franklin and Columbus to foster a musical spirit in kids throughout the area.

“I thought this is so me,” she said. “My strength and my

love are always for the little ones. This is what I was meant to do.”

Miss Polly’s Music Class began locally in January 2020 after the Joneses had moved to Franklin for spouse Andrew’s employment as vice president for Student Development and dean of students at Franklin College. She first started the business in 2008 when career opportunities took the family to Illinois.

At a recent evening session, 12 infants and toddlers sat in a circle, slapping their legs to the beat of various songs. They sang loudly, danced wildly, played instruments and learned lessons about sharing and putting toys away.

They belted out tunes from the Beach Boys, made train sounds and sang one childhood favorite in French and English verses. It was their first night together as a group marching, hopping and learning — even occasionally breaking a sweat all in the name of musical fun.

holly and Jessi haynes dance to a song at Miss Polly’s Music Class in Franklin.

“You’d be surprised — even a 3-month-old can get so much out of music class,” Jones said.

The class runs 45 minutes weekly for eight weeks and caters to anyone from birth to age 4, allowing siblings to be in the same group and little ones to learn from the older children. They have a song book, use music from an app and participate hands on with egg shakers, rhythm sticks, resonator bells, drums, toddler tambourines and dancing with scarves. Each session contains a multitude of fast-paced activities and closes with a lullaby Jones sings as the group pretends to nap.

The longtime educator understands the need for effective music material and is a true supporter of the curriculum, which is created by The Music Class, an award-winning national program with its home office in Georgia. Jones graduated from Butler University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in music education/voice and received her masters’ degree in 2004 in education administration.

The Franklin resident spent years teaching music, building choirs and serving as assistant principal in Westfield-Washington Schools before doing the same in Illinois, where she started Miss Polly’s Music Class as her side hustle.

Though she cherished the training and global perspective of instructing youths in public schools, she loves getting to know her

repeat students and parents and enjoys seeing a roomful of adults acting silly with their kids. Her greatest joy comes from watching young ones thrive both physically and mentally — all attributed to the music.

“I firmly believe in early childhood education,” she said. “They are little sponges at that age. The growth is so evident.”

Jones saw first-hand musical development in her children with Oliver, 15, continuing on to play trumpet and sing and daughter Adelaide, 14, excelling in dance after beginning the program at 2 months old.

Oliver, a sophomore at Franklin Community High School, said he attended mom’s class until he aged out of the program. Though he has taken a break from band and choir to pursue track and cross country, he has always loved watching his mother teach and recognizes how the program nurtured his love for music.

“It taught me how to enjoy music and set up a really good foundation for me to get into choir and band,” he said.

Parent Leslie Kolarz of Bargersville enrolled her son, also named Oliver, in the program at 8 months old after hearing a friend talk highly about it.

The two haven’t missed a session, she said, and will continue as long as they can since he is currently age 4.

Above left: isabelle Plymate stands while peering around Britney Loller’s arm. top right: Children dance with scarves. Lower right: Julianne Reichenbach, Jessica Reichenbach, Lynn woodworth and Everette woodworth follow the beat with small egg shakers. opposite page: Polly Jones, “Miss Polly,” stands by the welcome sign at her Franklin studio on Jefferson Street.

Kolarz likes how the class follows a pattern, giving the children a routine, but also enjoys the mix of activities. She credits Jones and the curriculum with helping improve her son’s communication skills and verbal expression. At age 2, Oliver was in speech therapy because he wasn’t talking much, she said, but he quickly grasped the concept of music.

“He would follow along and be more alert,” she said. “He gets very excited every single time. He’s got good rhythm. He loves it.”

She has high praise for Jones, who gives individual attention to each student, and will eventually discuss the musical path her son might pursue after aging out of the class.

“I just can’t say enough how good of a person she is and how she works with kids,” Kolarz said.

This September, Jones will hold seven classes at varying times at her Franklin studio, 550 E. Jefferson St. Suite 311 (Alva Neal Community Building), and three classes in Columbus at New Hope Christian Church. She has seen interest steadily grow with participants coming from Johnson, Bartholomew, Shelby and Jackson counties. She has also added her first employee, Columbus teacher Haley Jackson.

She teaches two free classes annually at the farmer’s market and is always an ambassador for Franklin and its small businesses. Jones emphasizes her program is open to all levels, and students and parents/ caregivers will reap the cognitive and physical benefits from attending.

“Music class really provides that once a week outlet — not only for kiddos but for parents,” Jones said. “The classes are kind of tough. We break a sweat.”

Fall session will run mid-September through early November and costs $150 per child for eight weeks of instruction, the digital app and song book. Register online: themusicclass.com/center/miss-pollys-music-class.

Clockwise

Award after qualifying for the state championship. the Clark Pleasant team, the Boltheads, pilot their robot through a course. the Boltheads pose with their robots. Page 10: greenwood’s team for older students, the green Machine, practices with the team from Avon. Austin Smith, olivia Forster and ishani Shah prepare for a match. Shah has been one of the team’s leaders and was just chosen to serve as the vice president of FtC indiana on the Student Board of Directors this year.

with

from top left: Members of Center grove’s Red Alert team work on their robot. the Center grove team poses at a competition. greenwood’s wired woodmen assembles

their impact

‘hARDESt FUN YoU’LL EvER hAvE’

Robotics teams offer skills building, camaraderie

By kAthy BOWEN StOLZ | SuBMIttED PhOtOS

Robotics teams are a great way for students from elementary to high school to explore new skills, solve problems and learn teamwork, according to leaders of the Johnson County teams.

Robotics is “the hardest fun you will ever have,” said Rachel Miller, who voluntarily serves as head of operations and as a mentor for the Center Grove Red Alert robotics team. She is also an alumna of the program. Much like athletics, robotics is tiered with programs starting at the Pre-K level. Center Grove, Greenwood and Clark-Pleasant schools participate in the national FIRST program, which starts with FIRST Lego Leagues for ages 4-16, followed by FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for ages 12-18 and FIRST Robotics Competitions for ages 14-18,

according to the FIRSTinspires.org website. FIRST is an acronym meaning For Inspiration and Recognition of Science Technology.

Locally, team members may earn junior varsity and varsity letters, just like athletes. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic stifled the growth of robotics in Johnson County with several teams disbanding during the shutdown. Each school’s leader said they hope to restart robotics at the elementary level soon.

Robotics competition usually requires the “robot” to do multiple tasks, such as picking up an object, climbing or pulling something. Students also make a short presentation, talking about their robot and the design process. Competitions usually begin in November and continue through the school year.

Center Grove’s Red Alert program, begun in March 2005, has won the FIRST organization’s Impact Award — its highest — 10 times, according to Miller. The award recognizes the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST, according to the FIRSTinspires.org website.

Red Alert team members not only drive the robot but learn how to design it, machine it and repair it in addition to writing code to operate it. Some team members use their writing skills on engineering documentation while others focus on graphic design or videography.

They even improve their presentation skills as they compete, Miller noted, and learn fundraising skills.

Students also learn the proper way to clean as they care for the Center Grove Innovation Center where Red Alert is headquartered.

About 50 high schoolers participate on the FIRST Team 1741 Red Alert competitive “varsity” team, with 30-40 on the three teams at the “junior varsity” or FTC level. About 12 teams in the Center Grove FLL or FIRST Lego League are across the district, Miller said. Two teams are at each of the middle schools. About 250 students participate across the district. She said they hope to expand to have a team at each elementary school.

Eighty percent of Red Alert graduates go into a science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM-related, career, Miller said. Fifty percent stay involved in the program after graduating.

As the most mature program in Johnson County, Red Alert does a lot of outreach, Miller stated, such as working with a team in Burundi, Africa, to supply them with basic kits when they started a program a few years ago. Red Alert also sponsors a week-long summer camp.

Red Alert Robotics Parent Organization, or RARPO, is a 501(c)3 group that supports the team with fundraising and all other necessary support for the self-funded program, said Tiffany Hendrix, president.

She noted, “Our program is all done outside of school hours,” which is the same for other local teams.

Chris Campbell, seventh grade industrial technology teacher in Greenwood Middle School, oversees the Greenwood schools’ robotics teams, the Green Machine for high schoolers and the Wired Woodmen for seventh and eighth graders. He depends on volunteer coaches who are parents and/ or work in technology fields to help run the program. He cited volunteers employed by Honda, Cummins and Endress+Hauser.

Because “so many kids are interested in robotics now,” Campbell said, he has tryouts for the two FIRST Technology Challenge teams, with about 12-15 students on each team. During the initial four or five meetings each year, the coaches introduce the different elements of robotics competition, such as building, programming, documentation and CAD (computer-aided design). The five coaches rate the students and make their selections. “Kids usually will get hooked at the middle school level and stay with us through high school. It can be tough to get one of those limited high school spots,” Campbell said. He said the ratio of males to females is “pretty balanced.” The Green Machine program started in 2014.

Considered an extracurricular activity, the

teams meet two nights each week, with competitions on Saturdays. They use Campbell’s technology shop to work on the equipment. They learn building with hand tools, assembling and designing with the CAD software that Purdue and other engineering schools use. Two other coaches teach the students JAVA programming language plus engineering documentation. “We want them to get good experience in all areas,” Campbell said.

Robots cost about $1,000 in materials, with registration and entry fees for competitions increasing the cost per team to about $2,000costs which sponsorships cover. The students pay a $50 fee for a T-shirt and food for the all-day events.

Campbell said, “We try to do more than just build a robot for competition. Going to competitions is a blast, but FIRST Robotics also promotes ‘gracious professionalism,’” respect and kindness during the competition process.

Clark-Pleasant Middle School’s Boltheads are starting their sixth year under the leader-

ship of James Robertson, seventh and eighth grade STEM teacher.

The Boltheads are comprised of sixth, seventh and eighth graders. “We usually have 10-15 students with close to half girls and boys,” Robertson said. They meet two or three times a week for at least 1½ hours researching ideas, building robots, testing and driving the robots as well as programming them.

“Each student has a job in their team, such as driver, builder and coder. If students want to try other things, they are more than welcome to try, and I will show them things per request.”

The CPMS kids get excited about competing, building robots and building friendships, he noted.

“Being in the robotics club gives students a chance to interact with other students they may not interact with during the school day. It also teaches skills they can build on as they move into high school and start thinking about classes to take or careers to go into,” Robertson said.

5 steps to babyproof your home

By fAMILy fEAturES | PhOtO By uNSPLASh

Your little one’s on-the-go adventures mark a huge milestone for his or her development and your family. Before you allow your baby to trek freely from room to room, get your home ready for a child on the move with these safety steps and precautions:

PREPARE BEFORE BIRTH

First-time parents are likely to embark upon a new life filled with late nights, sleep deprivation and a world of stresses they’ve never experienced or considered. Prepare your home before the baby is born to avoid the panic of waiting until the last minute.

TOUR LIKE YOUR TOT

The first step toward ensuring your home is ready for a mobile child is to see the world from the same level. Take a crawling tour around your home to see things that may be in the way or discover hazardous items that are within easy reach. Use all of your senses to assess any potential dangers.

EVALUATE LEANING OBJECTS

Bookshelves, bedside tables and the items placed on them, such as television sets and other large appliances, can be a threat to the safety of a small child trying to pull him or herself up and balance on two feet. Ensure these items are properly secured or keep them put away

Assisting Through Loss After Suicide

unless in use to avoid them being pulled on top of your child.

LATCH IT UP

Protect your little one from sharp objects and heavy items by installing child protection latches on all cabinets and drawers. For an added layer of protection, keep any sharp objects and harmful chemicals in high places only adults can reach.

OTHER SAFETY MEASURES

To properly prepare your home for a mobile child, don’t forget to take steps such as:

l Covering electrical outlets with safety plugs

l Placing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases

l Installing fireplace screens

l Adding foam padding to sharp furniture corners and edges

l Placing a soft cover over the bathtub waterspout

l Removing blinds with looped cords or installing safety tassels and cord stops

l Stocking your first aid kit

l Putting non-slip pads under rugs

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

Get involved and support this initiative by visiting upstreamprevention.org/atlas or email us at atlas@upstreamprevention.org

ATLAS is a volunteer response team that provides support to individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide and help connect loss survivors to resources for ongoing support. Research suggests 135 individuals are exposed to suicide for each death, with an average of 11 individuals where the loss has a long-lasting impact. There are too many of our neighbors dying by suicide, but even more who are experiencing the devastating loss of losing a loved one. While ATLAS can’t make the grief go away, we can provide support and a community to let others know they are not alone.

tips for addressing challenging behaviors Not A LoSt CAUSE

By fAMILy fEAturES | PhOtO By GEtty IMAGES

Many parents of young children face behavioral concerns, like children not listening, throwing tantrums, biting and more. While every situation is unique, parents can rest assured they aren’t alone and these behaviors aren’t atypical.

“As young children grow and develop, behavioral challenges are to be expected,” said Dr. Lauren Starnes, senior vice president and chief academic officer, The Goddard School. “That said, just because these behaviors are often normal doesn’t mean they are easy for the parents addressing them or the

young children experiencing them.”

While eliminating undesired behaviors like defiance, tantrums and biting is likely unrealistic, it’s not a lost cause for parents. Understanding why certain behaviors occur and the appropriate techniques to address them can help parents mitigate their impact and lessen their frequency, duration and severity.

Starnes recommends these ways to understand and address challenging behaviors in young children.

BITING

Infants often bite when teething. Young toddlers bite out of excitement, exploration or in response to inconsistencies in their environment. Older toddlers and 2-year-olds frequently bite as a communication method, such as when they fail to have the language to communicate frustration.

For children who are 3 years of age or older, biting is typically an aggressive behavior. Understanding the root cause can help tailor the response more appropriately to curb the behavior. For example, giving infants various textured teething toys can lessen the likelihood they will bite. For 2-year-olds, modeling how to use words and phasing out oral soothing items like pacifiers can also reduce the likelihood of biting.

DEFIANCE

Raising young children means preparing to hear them say, “No.” One of the primary developmental milestones of early childhood is emerging independence. The overt exertion of independence tends to peak at or around age 2 and can continue at varying degrees of intensity, depending in part upon the personality of the child.

One important factor about defiant

behavior is that while it is independence exertion, it is also attention-seeking. Behavior is communication and some defiant actions may simply be a means of obtaining attention and situational control. By giving children more independence — for example, asking “Can you please put your shoes on for me?” or “Can you pick which one of these dresses you want to wear today?” — you may be able to help them become compliant.

Logical consequences can also help. For example, if children refuse to sit in their chair to eat, have them stand for dinner or remove their snack until they sit.

TANTRUMS

The American Academy of Pediatrics defines tantrums as a behavioral response by young children who are learning to be independent and desire to make choices yet lack the coping and self-regulation skills to handle frustration. Whether a tantrum is triggered by communication gaps, frustration or a reinforced behavior to control a situation, there are specific techniques that can be used to deescalate the behavior and help children regain emotional composure.

Your reaction to a tantrum is a direct predictor of its intensity and longevity. Taking

an opposite position to children in terms of volume, speed of movement and pace of speech can be enough to counterbalance the tantrum.

Another effective technique to curb a tantrum is sportscasting. Using a soft tone of voice, sportscasting is the verbal, non-biased account of what is happening in the moment retold in third-person as though telling a story or broadcasting a sport. While this may feel awkward at first, it often catches children’s attention and deescalates their reaction. For example, “Lou wanted more gummy bears. Mom said no. Lou is yelling and crying.”

There is no silver bullet to stop biting, defiance and tantrums. These behaviors, for better or worse, are expected parts of early childhood. However, by gaining an understanding of their root causes and employing appropriate techniques to address these behaviors, parents can mitigate their impact while helping children develop and grow socially and emotionally.

For more actionable parenting insights, guidance and resources — including a webinar with Starnes providing additional tips for behavioral guidance — visit GoddardSchool. com.

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Encourage exploration in the kitchen

By fAMILy fEAturES | PhOtO By GEtty IMAGES

Planning, preparing, serving and cleaning up after mealtimes are skills that can be beneficial to everyone. Yet when it comes to meal prep, many families find it easier to tell children to go play rather than bringing them into the kitchen to help create meals.

“One of the best ways to encourage children to try new foods or simply eat their vegetables is to allow them the opportunity to plan and prepare a meal,” said Emily Hicks, a registered dietitian nutritionist for KinderCare Learning Centers. “Involving children in meal planning, preparation and serving in age-appropriate ways helps give them some autonomy in a world in which they often feel they do not have many choices. This can help reduce stress and food fights at mealtime, creating a more peaceful and enjoyable experience for everyone.”

Meal preparation can also bring certain classroom lessons such as counting and fractions to life as children measure ingredients. It can also be an opportunity for an impromptu science lesson about the parts of plants and animals people eat and the nutritional benefits of healthy foods.

Consider these tips to get kids more

involved in mealtimes:

1

Choose mealtimes when the family is typically together and make preparation a team effort. Allow children to pick out vegetables or other items at the grocery store (or from the fridge, freezer or pantry) to prepare. Alternatively, if you have a few meal options planned for the week, children can help decide what to make on which days. The key is to empower children to make choices, thus helping develop a sense of responsibility and encouraging variety in food choices.

children to try some of each food on the table but try not to push them to eat anything in particular. Instead, give them time and multiple opportunities to try different foods. If they are able, teach children how to pass food to others at the table and engage in conversation. Sharing at the table can help foster social development and family connections.

4

Allow children to help wash produce, stir food in mixing bowls, get tools like cutting boards from the cupboard and more. Children can help peel or chop foods or stir pots or pans with adult guidance. Even younger children can assist by using child-safe utensils to peel or chop food, sprinkle toppings, pour dressings or combine pre-measured meal components.

2

After mealtime, children can help clean up and put things away. Even if they can’t reach the sink, children can help clear items from the table. They can also assist with putting dishes in the dishwasher or ferrying clean dishes to an adult to put back in cupboards and drawers. Additionally, they can help wipe up spills and crumbs and push in chairs, too.

3

Children can help place food on the table and serve themselves at young ages. Young children may find it easier to serve themselves by using measuring cups instead of serving utensils. Encourage

“The benefits of family mealtime go beyond health,” Hicks said. “Involving your children in your mealtime routines can bring food and fun to the table, creating a sense of belonging that will boost the whole family’s well-being. Remember, you don’t have to stick to a routine 100% of the time to be beneficial. Just do your best to keep routines when possible and practice balance.”

By JtyLEr COWEN | BLOOMBErG OPINION

With the introduction of GPT-4 and Claude, AI has taken another big step forward. GPT-4 is human-level or better at many hard tasks, a huge improvement over GPT-3.5, which was released only a few months ago. Yet amid the debate over these advances, there has been very little discussion of one of the most profound effects of AI large language models: how they will reshape childhood.

In the future, every middle-class kid will grow up with a personalized AI assistant — so long as the parents are OK with that. As for the children, most of them will be willing if not downright eager. When I was 4 years old, I had an imaginary friend who lived under the refrigerator, called (ironically) Bing Bing. I would talk to him and report his opinions to my parents and sister.

In the near future, such friends will be quite real, albeit automated, and they will talk back to our children as directly as we wish. Having an AI service for your child will be as normal as having a pet, except the AI service will never bite. It will be carried around in something like a tablet, though with a design that is oriented toward the AI.

Recent developments suggest that AI models can be both commoditized and customized more easily and cheaply than expected. So parents will be able to choose what kind of companion they want their kids to have — in contrast to the free-for-all of the internet.

The available services likely will include education and tutoring, text or vocalizations of what the family pet might be thinking, dancing cartoon avatars, and much more. Companies will compete to offer products that parents think will be good for their kids. Some of the AIs might even read bedtime stories (in fact, I’ve already heard some of them).

Many parents may be reluctant to let their kids become attached to an AI. But I predict that most families will welcome it. For one, parents will be able to turn off the connection whenever they wish. Simply clicking a button is easier than yanking an iPad out of a kid’s grasp.

Most of all, letting your kid have an AI companion will bring big advantages. Your child will learn to read and write much faster and better, and will do better in school. Or maybe you want your kid to master Spanish or Chinese, but you can’t afford an expensive tutor who comes only twice a week. Do you want your child to learn how to read music? The AI services will be as limited or as expansive as you want them to be.

It is an open question how quickly schools will embrace these new methods of learning. At some point, however, they will become part of the curriculum. Competitive pressures will make parents reluctant to withhold AI from their kids. Even if the AIs are not present in the classroom, some kids will use them to help do their homework, gaining a big advantage, and the practice will likely spread. Of course children will use these AIs for purposes far beyond what their parents intend. They will become playthings, companions, entertainers and much more. When I was a kid, with no internet and mediocre TV, I created imaginary worlds in the dirt, or with simple household items, and my parents often had no clue. The AI services will become part of this model of spontaneous play, even if parents try to make them purely educational.

What about teenagers? Well, many parents may allow their kids to

speak with AI therapists. It might be better than nothing, and perhaps better than many human therapists.

It is easy enough to imagine the problems. Socially conservative parents won’t be able to stop their kids from visiting friends whose AIs teach about sex education. Many kids may manage to “jailbreak” their AIs, getting them talking about sex and violence, even in an educational context (try Roman history). And while the rise of AI won’t necessarily increase inequality, it’s hard to argue that it won’t confer even more advantages on wealthy and middle-class kids.

But the biggest drawback might simply be that the AI services work too well, and kids become very attached to them, neglecting friends and family. They might be such good babysitters that parents won’t always pull the plug when they should. They might, in short, be the 21st century version of television.

What will it be like to grow up with such companions? Nobody really knows. But an entire generation is about to find out.

tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg opinion columnist, a professor of economics at george Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. he is coauthor of “talent: how to identify Energizers, Creatives, and winners Around the world.”