As parents, we want our children to have all of the educational advances possible. We also want them to be well-rounded children and have fun and play. Making decisions about children and electronics can seem daunting. We often read articles that make it seem as though offering a child an iPad is a death sentence.
While this is an exaggeration, many articles warn against using these devices with children. However, many children do benefit from electronic devices, and let’s face it—parents do too this infographic from SuperCleaning delves into it some more.
Statistics
Statistically, most preschoolers had their own iPad as of 2018 and tend to have nearly three hours of screen time daily. This seems outrageous to some parents and psychologists. However, keep in mind that on-the-go lifestyles may not always include mind-numbing activities as the parents may have done when they were children.
Expert Opinion
Experts believe that children under two should not have extensive digital media time. With COVID-19 and social distancing, however, the need for video chatting is the exception. Talking to Grandma when you cannot visit is not the same thing as watching Clifford on repeat. Note: Clifford is a great program, but two-year-olds should avoid television screen time. Even preschool-aged children need less than an hour a day of screen time. You may be wondering why experts are this strict. Here are a few reasons they cite as being concerns.
Relationship Damage
Children who spend the majority of their time on devices are not spending time with their parents directly. They may damage the bond that parents and children need. The iPad cannot replace physical interaction.
Addicting
The more a person spends time doing something, the more they tend to continue doing it. Children who look to electronics for entertainment become addicted to the various platforms to occupy their minds. Children’s brains are developing and need a variety of activities.
Tantrums
If it is used as a soother, the iPad may trigger tantrums so that kids may reap the rewards. When children know they can pitch a fit and get what they want, they will do that. Even if it is not what they are fussing about, they begin to manipulate their world to achieve an end goal.
Obesity or Social Development
Children spending all day staring at a screen are not exercising and spending time with friends or classmates. In the current social distancing situations, a little more screen time may be used to connect to friends that we cannot see in person. In these cases, host a dance party or virtual game to revert more to video chatting.
Getting Rid of So Much Tech Time
It may seem impossible to get rid of so much screen time. However, it is not as challenging as it seems. Create tech-free zones, unplug times, parental controls, and other rules such as no screens in the bedroom or that screen time is a privilege to be earned.
Final Thoughts
You are not a bad parent if you are letting your child have screen time. We all give in to things more often than we should with certain things. However, work to reduce and limit screen time to promote the development of bonds and healthy habits.
