When Nintendo announced stricter parental controls for the Switch 2, I didn’t expect it to spark a mini-identity crisis about what it really means to prepare for parenthood in 2025.
But there I was, phone in hand, reading this Verge article about Nintendo’s new app update and suddenly spiraling—because isn’t it wild how parenting today starts way before a baby even arrives? Hear me out…
The Digital Reality Check For Parents-To-Be
With the Switch 2 hitting shelves and Nintendo giving parents the power to restrict who kids can chat with, I started thinking: Are we ready for this new era of parenthood? It’s not just about diaper brands or nursery paint swatches anymore. It’s about digital boundaries, privacy, and trying to predict threats that didn’t even exist when we were kids ourselves.
Here’s the thing—every parent I know is walking this tightrope between wanting to protect their child and realizing that surveillance isn’t the same as safety. Nintendo’s move is a reminder: Modern parenting is less about just “having a baby” and more about “raising a human in a world we barely recognize.”
The Open Loop: What About Families Still on the Starting Line?
Of course, all of this assumes that you’ve already got a little one at home, ready to pounce on the latest console. But what if you’re still at the beginning—figuring out how you’ll become a parent, not just how you’ll parent?
If you’re on a fertility journey, like so many in our FamilyFoundry community, you know that the emotional rollercoaster starts way before nursery monitors and screen-time debates start ruling your life.
So here’s my question: How do you prepare for parenting in a hyper-connected world when you’re still dreaming of your family’s first heartbeat?
Building Trust—With Kids and Ourselves
Let’s get honest: The urge to control comes from love—but also fear. Nintendo’s app isn’t just about protecting kids from online strangers. It’s about giving parents a sense of control in a world that often feels chaotic.
For those of us building families through fertility treatments, at-home insemination kits, or any non-traditional path, that urge to control can be overwhelming. The doctor’s visits. The waitlists. The research. The hope. The anxiety. And yes—the endless scrolling through product reviews at 2am.
But here’s the twist (and my hard-earned lesson): The best thing we can do as future parents is learn to trust ourselves. Because the truth is, no app—no matter how advanced—can shield our kids (or us) from every risk or disappointment.
Connection: The Real Goal
What Nintendo’s update is really about isn’t just limiting chat—it’s about creating intentional space for connection and safety. And that starts way before someone picks up a controller.
If you’re early in your journey to parenthood, maybe connection looks like:
- Talking openly with your partner about your hopes and your fears.
- Sharing your story with someone who actually gets it (hello, online communities!).
- Looking for products and support systems that respect your need for privacy and empower you to make informed choices.
When my spouse and I started exploring at-home insemination, I was surprised by how much privacy mattered to us. Not just in the obvious ways, but in wanting products and services that didn’t plaster our business on shipping labels or email threads.
We stumbled onto MakeAMom’s resource guides and discreet products during a late-night research spiral. Their plain packaging, honest testimonials, and focus on empowerment felt like a small act of rebellion against a world obsessed with labels—both literal and metaphorical.
Breaking the Cycle: Courage in Uncertainty
I won’t pretend that a Nintendo app or a fertility kit holds all the answers. But as we plan for families—biologically, emotionally, digitally—the conversation is shifting.
We’re not just prepping for midnight feedings. We’re thinking about:
- When do you introduce your child to tech?
- How do you explain privacy when Daddy’s phone listens to everything?
- How do you foster independence without letting go too soon?
It’s messy and a little scary, but it’s also liberating. Because when we focus on connection, trust, and transparency (with our partners, our future kids, and ourselves), we’re building the tools for whatever “parenting” will look like in five, ten, or twenty years.
Final Thought: Start Building Now
So whether you’re obsessively researching parental controls or checking ovulation charts, know this: Preparing for parenthood is already parenting. The questions you’re asking, the boundaries you’re drawing, and the resources you choose matter more than you think.
Let’s keep sharing our stories, supporting each other, and maybe—just maybe—letting ourselves off the hook a bit. Because there is no perfect system, app, or path. But there are incredible communities and tools out there to help us as we navigate every twist and turn of family-building—whether that starts with a joystick or a test kit.
What are you most worried (or hopeful) about as you prepare for this next generation of parenthood? Drop your thoughts below and let’s make this a conversation—because we’re all in this digital family together.