The Upside to Screen Time Kids are expanding their tech savvy to connect and explore creatively. Credit...Tim Peacock Jan. 20, 2021 My 8-year-old daughter started writing stories this year in Google Docs. They are thousands of words long, and my favorite one includes both a full brisket recipe and a murder mystery. She experiments with fonts, looks up synonyms and thinks about the plot even when she’s away from the computer. I don’t think she would be doing any of this if not for our virtual pandemic year. While I don’t want to sugarcoat the experience — so many children, especially children without access to computers and high-speed internet, are struggling — I do want to point out that there are upsides to online life, and some experts agree.