Addictive design is on the hot seat (finally)

Okay. So. You know those viral “lymphatic drainage” shake plate things that promise you’ll feel like a brand-new, de-puffed, glowing goddess in… 8 minutes? We tried one. And because we’re mature, responsible adults (LOL), we decided to do the no spill challenge while sitting on it… holding wine… attempting to have a civilized sip like fancy women who definitely have their lives together.

Spoiler: we do not.

If you need a laugh (or you want to feel extremely accomplished just sitting still): watch the chaos here

And honestly… that’s parenting, isn’t it? We’re out here trying to keep everyone alive, keep our kids somewhat kind, keep the laundry moving, and still squeeze in a tiny moment of fun—only for it to explode all over the place. But we laugh, we mop it up, and we keep going.

—Cat & Nat

Regulators are coming for addictive design

Finally…the grown-ups who make laws are finally looking at the stuff we’ve been screaming into our pillows about for years: the features designed to keep kids scrolling forever.

In the UK, the government is actively consulting on options that include an under-16 social media ban and/or restricting sticky features (think infinite scroll, streaks, and other dopamine traps). Meanwhile, Australia’s under-16 ban is already in force and platforms have reportedly removed millions of under-16 accounts as they try to comply.

What this means for us, on a Tuesday night when your kid is “just checking one thing” and suddenly it’s been 47 minutes:

• The conversation is shifting from “kids need self-control” to “platforms should stop engineering addiction.”

• Even if bans don’t happen everywhere, we’re likely heading toward more pressure on platforms to verify age and reduce addictive mechanics.

How to talk about it with your tween/teen (without a lecture):
Try: “I’m not saying you’re doing something wrong. I’m saying these apps are built to make it hard to stop. So let’s build a plan that helps you stay in charge.”

If your house needs a reset (or even just a calmer baseline), our Screen Sense guide helps you spot the addictive features your kid is bumping into, set boundaries that don’t instantly start World War III, and create a family plan that’s realistic (not “no phone ever again,” because… please).

(More on that below.)

Google is rolling back a controversial policy

This one made parents’ heads explode for good reason.

There’s been major backlash around Google’s approach to supervised accounts (Family Link) and what happens when a child turns 13—specifically, concerns that kids were being nudged with instructions on how to remove supervision. One parent, who is also the president of the advocacy organization Digital Childhood Institute, posted the following on her LinkedIn:

This parent is so not wrong. Why 13? And why is the parent not part of the decision?

Because if a 13-year-old can’t find their lunch in their own backpack, we’re not handing them the entire internet without guardrails. Nope.

Now, after the criticism, Google says it’s updating the process so parent approval is required before supervision can be turned off. This is better.

Plus, with 13 being the age of digital consent (…sure, okay), this won’t be a one-off. Parents are going to keep running into these “surprise freedom” moments across Big Tech. Which is why the best thing we can do is build a strong foundation early so digital independence is something they grow into, not something an app hands them overnight. 

It’s winter. It’s freezing. The wind hurts your face. And our lips? Our lips are basically paper at this point. Like if we smile too big, we might crack. Cute.

So our current ride-or-die is this lip colour that’s basically makeup and survival equipment. Bonus: it’s on sale for 50% off right now (we love a deal almost as much as we love pretending we don’t need another lip product).

If you’re dealing with winter-dry lips and you want something that makes you look alive while also keeping you from turning into a flaky lizard, this is the one.

Catch you next week!

—Cat & Nat