A Response to Amy Webb’s I Measure Every Single Thing My Child Does

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The bond between a parent and child is one of the strongest emotional connections a human can hope to experience; it transcends race, colour, creed, religion, and every other possible roadblock in its way. However, what a parent believes is best for their child may in fact harm them and cause unforeseen detriments to the child’s health and wellbeing. Author and mother Amy Webb claims she is a better parent for recording everything her daughter does and saving the data to a spreadsheet. Like Webb I agree surveying and recording everything her daughter does brings her and her daughter closer together, however, I disagree with her claim that she is a better parent because she is harming her daughter by not allowing her to breathe or have space.
In her article "I Measure Every Single Thing My Child Does," published to Slate Magazine on 9 July, 2013, author and mother Amy Webb argues she is a better parent for keeping track and recording everything her child does. Using her experiences of “advanced maternal age” pregnancy, birth, and raising her child, Webb explains how the collection of data on her daughter brings the two of them closer than other parenting techniques. Webb describes her experiences of pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her daughter which lead to Webb record everything her daughter does. Webb argues the data collection may seem odd to some but she claims it brings her and her daughter closer together. She says she knows exactly what her daughter likes, wants, and needs. She states her style of parenting is no different than others; hers “just comes with spreadsheets” (Webb).
Webb appeals to parents by using appeals to her being a mother, and she could improve her article in numerous ways. To make her article bett...

... middle of paper ...

... used throughout the text. Webb’s parenting style may bring her closer to her daughter but it can seriously harm her without knowing; however, in her defense hers is no different than other styles, it just comes with spreadsheets.

Works Cited

Schiffrin, Holly H., Miriam Liss, Haley Miles-McLean, Katherine A. Geary, Mindy J. Erchull, and Taryn Tashner. "Helping or Hovering? The Effects of Helicopter Parenting on College Students’ Well-Being." Journal of Child and Family Studies 22.2 (2013): n. pag. Print.
Webb, Amy. "I Measure Everything My Kid Does, and Track It on Spreadsheets. It Makes Me a Better Parent." Slate Magazine. The Slate Group, 9 July 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.
Zimmerman, F., D. Christakis, and A. Meltzoff. "Associations between Media Viewing and Language Development in Children Under Age 2 Years." The Journal of Pediatrics 151.4 (2007): 364-68. Print.

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