“I’d like to play a video game where you help the people who were shot in all the other games. It’d be called ‘Really Busy Hospital.”
― Demetri Martin
What are Screens doing to our Kids?:
How much screen time should kids get? In a world saturated with flashy devices, it’s a question that parents wring their hands about endlessly.
The studies are in, and it’s bad news for screens. Any parent whose young child has just finished a full length animated movie has probably seen the signs:
- Moodiness
- Restlessness
- Incoherent speech
- Inability to focus
- Emotional outbursts
In order words, too much screen time will alter our kids’ mood. Those flashing lights release dopamine, also called the pleasure chemical. That’s what got “Internet Use Disorder” added to the 2013 Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders. Like gambling and cocaine, screens are officially addictive.
7 hours a day. That’s how much, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the average child spends looking at a screen. That’s enough to build the same dopamine-dependence to video games as happens with gambling. TVs, phones, and video games create a parallel world that lures us into long periods of escapism.
So how much screen time should kids get, according to the AAP? Here are their recommendations:
Children Under 2: None. Babies’ brains need unstructured play time, and lots of it, to develop naturally. They’re extremely vulnerable to screens’ addictive effects, so try to limit exposure to Skype calls with grandma and showing them the odd picture on your phone. The idea of screens as an educational tool has also been debunked.
Children 2-5 years: One hour per day. Try to keep exposure to higher quality programming, like Sesame Street, and away from the cartoons. Avoid commercials if possible, as these are designed to maximize visual stimulation (and thus dopamine release). Toddlers haven’t developed the tool-kit to tell the difference between the real world and the digital world, so discuss what they’ve seen with them.
Children 6 years and up: Limit digital media. The amount of screen time will vary by family, but try to prioritize productive and family time over entertainment time. A balance between school, homework, family, social contact, sleep, and personal entertainment is the key to kids’ mental health.
The Impact of too much Screen Time:
Too much screen time, over extended periods, can have real behavioral and social consequences. Studies have linked uncontrolled amounts of poor quality screen time to:
- Obesity
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Behavioural issues
- Loss of social skills
- Loss of interest in creative play
While increased dopamine levels during screen time allow prolonged, intense focus, lowered levels can lead to an ability to shift focus and thus, to learn. When the video games go off, your child may struggle to finish his homework.
Every hour in front of a screen is also an hour not spent with friends. Playing sports and socializing is vital for healthy development, and we’re seeing a generation emerging that is more comfortable texting than talking.
You Have Options:
You don’t need to throw out the TV. Instead of cutting your kid off cold-turkey, encourage her to watch higher quality shows and watch them with her. Co-viewing will allow you to keep the viewing active (as opposed to blank-stare passive) and you’ll be able to talk about what you’re watching.
Resist the urge to use the TV as a babysitter. Kids are hard-wired to love reading, colouring, and other creative activities. Nurture these activities and your child will learn to focus on them for extended periods.
You’re the role model. Try to bank your TV watching time until after their bedtime. If you sit passively and stare at the TV, they’re going to assume it’s the best thing to do.
Cutting back on screen time is about nurturing healthy habits. It will seem daunting at first, but it will get easier if you stick to it.
https://www.statista.com/topics/868/video-games/
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/21/health/screen-time-media-rules-children-aap/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/screen-time/art-20047952
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/12/26/505905246/screen-time-reality-check-for-kids-and-parents
https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/wired-kids-how-screen-time-affects-childrens-brains
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/reduce-screen-time/tips-to-reduce-screen-time.htm
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun#1