This final article, on finding a happy medium for our children's use of screens - for learning, for enjoyment, and for their safe use - finds me in a bit of a dilemma. Can a happy medium actually be found? I think there can be, but I say so with caution.
Those of you following these articles were kind enough to participate in the poll I posted here. The question was: "Without looking it up, I know the Pediatrician recommended amounts of screen time for young children throughout their development." The two answer choices were "agree" or "disagree." The results were- 17% agreed and 83% disagreed. I think it's safe to say that those results mean we maybe should maybe pay a bit more attention to those numbers: 0 hours per day for babies under 2, with monitored, limited introduction around 18 months, 1 hour per day for children ages 2-5, and 2 hours per day for children older than 5, even into their teens.
There are plenty of great screen time opportunities to be found for children in using learning apps, watching shows/movies for education or entertainment, and even playing video games, but as current events have shown us, it's a good idea to be vigilant and at least partially monitor use for children of all ages. So I think that happy medium lies somewhere in between monitoring the amount, type, and the user experience of screens for our children.
I leave you with two videos I found about screen time for young children. One reflects research done in the US and one reflects more recent research done in the UK. The videos may leave you with more questions, as they did me, but please take a moment to watch, and leave questions and comments below. Maybe there is a chance to find some clarity and that happy medium here- for parents, educators, and for children. Thanks for spending some time with me to reflect on screen time for our kids!
Links to videos:
Is Screen Time Bad for Your Kids?
Mayo Clinic Minute: How Much Screen Time is Too Much for Kids?
Screen time is a hot topic throughout BCPS and around the US as schools move to a more digital approach to education. I think as long as their screens are being monitored, the amount of time the spend is less important than what they are doing in that time spent.
ReplyDeleteMs. Lundy, thanks for your comment and opinion on screen time. I want to make it clear that in writing these articles, I never set out to make a case that screen time is more important than what children see on screens. As an educator, I understand you may need to prioritize, but I would encourage you to consider it, especially for your younger students.
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