opinion

A classroom at an elementary school in Toronto.

Marlo Burks is pursuing a Master of Teaching degree and is a former editor and writer for the Literary Review of Canada.

My son’s first visit to the dentist was mostly uneventful. My husband and I anticipated some minor discomfort on his and our parts, but we weren’t overly worried. He’s an easy-going toddler, and entered the clinic cheerfully. The dental assistant, however, greeted us with a strained smile and a remote control clutched in her right hand, chirping right off the bat: “I can turn on Cocomelon if you want!”

We declined. Our son did just fine without the distraction, and I learned a few oral health care tips along the way. But I was put off by the fact that our toddler had been immediately offered the cognitive equi

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