Screen time and children
Controlling a child’s screen time can be difficult with screens nearly everywhere. To further complicate matters, some screen time can be both educational and beneficial to children’s social development. So, how do you keep track of your kid’s screen time? This guide will help you guide your child’s usage of devices and media.
Children and teenagers spend a lot of time in front of displays, such as cellphones, tablets, gaming consoles, televisions, and computers. In the United States, children aged 8 to 12 spend 4-6 hours per day watching or using screens, while teenagers spend up to 9 hours. While screens can be used to entertain, educate, and keep youngsters occupied, excessive use can cause difficulties.
What is all this screen time doing to kids’ brains?
According to preliminary findings from a landmark National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that began in 2018, children who spent more than two hours a day on screen-time activities performed worse on language and thinking tests, and some children who spent more than seven hours a day on screen time experienced thinning of the brain’s cortex, which is responsible for critical thinking and reasoning.
Screen time and children
How does Screen time and children impact a child’s ability to learn?
According to studies, children under the age of two learn less from a video than from another person, and it appears that while toddlers can watch the TV screen by the age of six months, they do not absorb the material until after the age of two. They won’t be bored by what’s on the screen, but they won’t learn anything from it.
Between the ages of 1 and 3, language development accelerates, and studies suggest that children learn language best when they engage and interact with people who chat and play with them. There is also evidence that children who watch a lot of television in the early elementary school years do worse on reading tests and may have attention problems.
Is screen time bad for my child ?
Electronic media is less beneficial to a young child’s growing brain than unstructured playing. A live presentation, rather than a film, is more likely to teach and remember knowledge to children under the age of two.
Some sorts of screen time, such as programming with music, dance, and stories, can help youngsters as young as two years old. You may help your youngster understand what he or she is seeing and apply it in real life by watching together. Passive screen time, on the other hand, should not be used to substitute reading, playing, or problem-solving.
Keep in mind as your child grows that excessive or poor-quality screen use has been related to: Parents may not always be aware of what their children are watching on screens or how much time they spend doing so. Children may be exposed to the following:
Screen time and children
- Risk-taking and violence are two of the most dangerous behaviors that people can engage in.
- Videos showcasing daredevil stunts or challenges that could lead to dangerous behavior
- Content that is sexual in nature
- Stereotypes are harmful.
- Use of substances
- Predators and cyberbullies
- Advertisements that are aimed at your child
- Inaccurate or misleading information
- Obesity
- Irregular sleep schedules and shorter duration of sleep
- Behavioral problems
- Loss of social skills
- Violence
- Less time for play
Too much screen time may lead to:
- Problems with sleep
- In school, lower grades
- Fewer books to read
- There isn’t enough time spent with family and friends, and there isn’t enough outdoor or physical activities.
- Obesity issues
- Mood disorders
- Body image and self-esteem concerns
- Fear of being left out
- Less time spent discovering new methods to unwind and enjoy yourself
