Moderate kids’ screen time in using technology
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit group focused on the use of media and technology by children, said in a report that kids ages 8 and under spend an average of about two hours and 19 minutes with screens every day at home, according to The Associated Press. The same survey found children spend an average of 48 minutes a day on mobile devices, up from 15 minutes in 2013.
If you’re old enough, you can remember a time when your home contained no screens.
Or, if you’re not quite of that vintage, you can recall a day when the television was your only option for electronic visual distraction. No laptops, cellphones or tablets.
But we’re here now, in an age where shiny, digital things can keep us busy for hours on end, perhaps without us even realizing it.
Right or wrong, there is no turning back, unless of course you choose to leave the grid.
This is not an anti-technology rant. We use electronic devices just as much as anyone else. It makes our lives and our jobs easier. It helps us to save time and use resources more efficiently.
But when we see a survey that shows children are spending an average of more than two hours a day staring at screens, we’re a bit concerned. And we’re not alone.
As AP reported, some parents and experts worry that screens are taking time away from exercise and learning.
And we’re particularly concerned that, according to the survey, children from lower-income households are spending more time on mobile devices and other screens than middleand higher-income children.
For more than two decades, the American Academy of Pediatrics believed that children under 2 should not be exposed to screens at all. But the AAP has since moderated that position.
“The AAP recommends that parents and caregivers develop a family media plan that takes into account the health, education and entertainment needs of each child as well as the whole family,” the academy announced in recommendations for children’s media use.
Among the AAP’s specific recommendations:
— For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing.
— For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to one hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
— For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to good health.
— Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms.
— Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.
Jen Bjorem, a pediatric speech pathologist, told AP that while it’s “quite unrealistic” for many families to totally do away with screen time — nor are we advocating such a thing — balance is key.
“Screen time can be a relief for many parents during times of high stress or just needing a break,” she said.
We get that, and parents shouldn’t feel guilty about using some screen time to get a breather. But two hours and 19 minutes is more than a breather.
When technology becomes a substitute for interpersonal relationships, or play or learning, we’re in trouble. And this is not just about children.
“Neuroimaging research shows excessive screen time damages the brain,” according to a 2014 article in Psychology Today.
Perhaps this is a good time to remind ourselves, and our children, that moderation, when it comes to all of our available technological distractions, is the right approach.
What might we do with all of that extra time? Read, talk, listen, play. There are those among us who remember when that was enough.