Lower-income kids give more time to TV, digital media

LOS

ANGELES (AP) — Children in lowerincome families spend more time watching TV and using electronic devices than kids in more affluent homes, according to a survey released Thursday.

The report by the media (1 hour, 37 nonprofit group Common minutes) compared Sense Media on with children of those the viewing habits of with less education (2 more than 1,400 children hours, 50 minutes). nationwide age “Before we can begin 8 and under found to understand the that less-affluent impact of media and youngsters spend technology on kids nearly three-and-ahalf and families, we have hours daily to better understand watching TV and using their attitudes and behaviors,” varied devices including James P. smartphones, Steyer, the nonprofit tablets, laptops and group’s CEO and video game players. founder, and Reveta

By comparison, Franklin Bowers, chair kids in higher-income of its board, said in a homes spend just under preface to the report. two hours on such The survey found activities. The offspring that Latino parents of better-educated expressed the most parents also concern about what spend less time with their children are exposed to in media, including sex, violence and racial and gender stereotypes. AfricanAmerican parents voiced somewhat less concern, with white parents expressing the least worry among ethnic groups.

But a majority of parents overall said their children’s use of digital media helps boost learning and creativity.

The time youngsters spend reading or being read to has remained steady at 30 minutes daily, compared with previous studies in 2011 and 2013. But fewer than half (43 percent) of children under 2 are read to each day, counter to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that reading to kids should begin at infancy to help develop language and literacy skills.

Nearly half (49 percent) of children are watching TV or using electronic media shortly before bedtime, contrary to the academy’s recommendation of an hour gap between such activities and sleep.

According to its conclusion, the survey “should not be read as a judgment on the quality of children’s time with media; rather, it is a snapshot of how media and technology are infused into daily life. Additional experimental and qualitative work is essential to better understanding the full implications of children’s media use.”