I'm a photographer, and I quit Instagram after 13 years. I hadn't noticed how much it was distracting me from my kids.

The author says quitting Instagram has made her more present. Courtesy of the author Deleting Instagram helped me feel more present and less distracted. I returned to slower rituals like postcards, wandering, and offline connection. Leaving social media changed how I relate to my children and my work. On a recent trip, my sister asked her 14-year-old son if he wanted to send a postcard. "Why? I have Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram," he responded, listing all his social media apps. When she sha...