Sometimes I wonder how my mother did it, coordinating afterschool activities as a single mother when everything had to be set up that morning and, if something changes, well, everyone is out of luck.

Nowadays parents can give children smartphones so that they are always just a text away. If my 16-year-old picks up another shift at work on Saturday, or if my daughter’s soccer game goes long, my wife and I know right away and can change our plans.