Screen Time for Kids: How Much is Safe
In a 2015 survey, 49% of parents in the UK “tended to agree” that screens provided a good
distraction for their kids when they were busy. But is that a smart option? Well, the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) seems to think otherwise.
It’s no secret that nowadays children and screens are inseparable. No matter where you go, you’ll
see children engaged on their phones, laptops, tabs and TVs and it makes you wonder: how much
screen time is safe for my kids?
You see, most of the mental development occurs in the first few years of life. Allowing children
excess use of screens causes major problems in cognitive and social development. That’s
because children learn by engaging their senses and screen time often fails to provide that
opportunity.
In this regard, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued the following
recommendations:
· No screen time for kids under 18 months of age except video calling with family. Children in
this age learn through physical activity, which is why they should be provided maximum
opportunities for that.
· For children aged 18–24 months, parents can introduce high-quality screen time that
supplements the child’s learning. It’s important that parents watch this screen time with their
children and gear it towards learning and brain development.
· From 2–5 years, children should be allowed an hour of media use every day. Parental
supervision at this time remains vital.
· From the age of 6 and onwards, parents should enforce a reasonable daily limit for screen time.
It’s also useful to create media-free zones and times in the house.
You might have noticed that after 6 years of age, the AAP doesn’t recommend a specific daily
screen time limit. That’s because every child is different and what works for one may not work
for the other. As a parent, you should ensure that your child’s screen time isn’t coming in the
way of homework, physical activity and real-life interactions. As long as that’s not an issue, it’s
okay to let your child have a reasonable amount of screen time.
If you still need help, you can use this tool by the AAP for creating your personalized Family
Media Use Plan.
How to Supervise Screen Time for Kids
Supervising and limiting screen time for kids is important for keeping them safe from the drastic
effects mentioned above. But as a parent, what can you do to reduce and supervise your child’s
screen time? Here are some recommendations:
· Preview programs and games that your child enjoys. Anything with violence and indecency
should be avoided at all costs.
· Discuss digital safety with your child. Teach your child what sort of behavior is expected on
social media and the internet. Tell your children that they shouldn’t send anything via the
internet that they would be embarrassed to have leaked in public.
· Explain to your children how ads work and how to counteract in case of an immoral
advertisement. It’s best to use an ad-blocker and block these ads in the first place. But educating
your child about these ads is important because he or she will inevitably come in contact with
them.
· Block websites with dangerous and indecent content
· Explain to your children that some people and organizations steal personal information and sell
it to advertisers. Teach them what sort of information they are supposed to expose on the internet
and whatnot.
Limiting screen time is even trickier in teenagers. Teens require more freedom and display
greater individuality which is why you should allow them a reasonable amount of screen time
unless it’s distancing them from their family or reducing their physical activity.
Conclusion
Screen time for kids is a hot topic nowadays. If your children are turning Screen time for kids is
a hot topic nowadays. If your children are turning into technology-feeding zombies, then it’s
time to establish some ground rules to overturn the situation. But make sure you’re letting your
child come on board with this decision, otherwise, they can act quite rebellious.
Comments
Post a Comment