The Internet Makes Me a Better Mom

The change from summer to fall brings a dramatic shift in our house. When I was a kid, I was the dorky girl with a ponytail and glasses who sat in the front row with her hand perpetually raised. I always looked forward to going back to school. Now, as the head of an Internet advocacy organization and a mother of three, let’s just say my perspective on fall has shifted slightly.

On the one hand, I’m overjoyed that my children are back in a routine that adds some sense of order to our days. On the other, just the thought of getting three kids ready in the morning fills me with trepidation. For me, it means being on the treadmill at 5 AM and emailing staff members across the globe, while making sure my kids are getting dressed and brushing their teeth. It’s moments like these where technology’s impact on my life comes clearly into focus.

Technology plays a key role for parents in making space in our busy lives year-round.

Technology plays a key role for parents in making space in our busy lives year-round. OpenTable, airbnb, and Uber all played a big part in the logistics of relaxing over our summer vacation in California. I was able to search for a kid-friendly restaurant within a few blocks just before leaving the hotel rather than having to plan months in advance. And with the busy back-to-school schedule, I could plan my kids’ activities on Eventbrite or SignUpGenius, look for backup babysitters on Care.com, and order books for school with not too much stress while away. Perhaps most importantly, these tools provide busy parents like me the ability to get organized after the kids go to bed, despite being outside of regular business hours. It’s really an amazing world.

Innovations in technology make me a better parent; and many times they make a lot of things possible, period. These apps help working moms level the playing field by making necessary tasks faster. I’ll be the first to say that I couldn’t work full-time, parent full-time, and do all the things that are required to live (like managing a household) were it not for the Internet. We no longer have to choose between work, spending time with our kids, and organizing our lives.

That said, as the leader of a remarkable group of experts who spend their days advocating for privacy and free expression rights online, I know full well that it’s not a perfect tool. While the Internet and connected technologies are enablers of democracy, of equality, and of opportunity, they also host threats to our identity, and our privacy. CDT is working to make the Internet and our increasingly digital world a place we all want to live in, and one where we don’t lose our fundamental rights.