SWITCHING OFF FOR HEALTH
Limited screen time fosters imaginative family lifestyle
KEARNEYS Spring siblings James, Oscar and Zoe live active, healthy and imaginative lives without relying on mobile phones or television.
From digging holes for fun in the backyard to creating new games and workshops, the trio is socially resilient and excels academically.
The MacAvoys, in many ways, live the findings of the new Little People, Big Lives report which calls for parents to refocus on the big picture.
“The kids are pretty much at the top of their class, they’re socially resilient and are able to handle things when stuff happens in the playground,” dad Richard MacAvoy said.
SIBLINGS James, Oscar and Zoe MacAvoy are three youngsters with vivid imaginations, physically active lifestyles and an engaged home life with their parents Cate and Richard.
Their screen-time is limited and closely monitored in the family room and it’s mostly sport that’s watched together by streaming with no television.
In many ways, the Kearneys Spring family is living the findings of the Little People, Big Lives report from the University of Notre Dame.
The report calls for parents to refocus on the big picture and get back to doing the little things to foster physically and mentally healthy children.
Mum Cate MacAvoy said limiting screen-time was an extension of her and husband Richard’s upbringings, and their three children excelled for it.
“We don’t organise their entertainment - they do, and they’re left to their own devices,” she said.
The report, commissioned by Sanitarium Health Food Company, found simple things like family dinners, backyard play and bedtime stories could bring positive results for young children.
Brothers James and Oscar, aged 11 and nine, and sister Zoe, 7, don’t have their own mobile phones, despite asking for one.
“The kids are not real happy about that, especially since their friends have smart phones,” Mrs MacAvoy said. “It’s a battle, to be honest.” Research by YouGov Galaxy, in support of the Little People, Big Lives report, found children spent more than 14 hours a week being entertained by screens, and barely more than nine hour with parents.
Mr MacAvoy said no screens in bedrooms helped his children sleep better, and he had learnt from his daughter how to identify different herbs as she helped prepare meals.
“The kids are pretty much at the top of their class, they’re socially resilient and are able to handle things when stuff happens in the playground,” he said.
The report focused five action areas of safety and security, healthy eating and drinking, active play, healthy sleep, and positive screen time.
It was lead by Professor Christine Bennett.