Jan 30: In today’s digital world, many children spend a lot of time in front of screens, whether it is for entertainment, education, or communication. While technology can offer many benefits, excessive screen time can also have negative impacts on children’s health, development, and well-being. How can parents and caregivers help their children reduce their screen time and find a healthy balance?
The first step is to understand the risks of too much screen time for children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), excessive screen time can lead to:
- Obesity: Screen time can reduce physical activity and increase snacking, which can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
- Sleep problems: Screen time can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep cycles. This can make it harder for children to fall asleep and stay asleep, affecting their mood, memory, and learning.
- Behavioral issues: Screen time can expose children to inappropriate or violent content, which can affect their emotional and social development. Screen time can also reduce the quality and quantity of family interactions, which are essential for children’s emotional security and social skills.
- Vision problems: Screen time can strain the eyes and cause headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision, and eye fatigue.
- Academic problems: Screen time can distract children from their homework and reduce their attention span, concentration, and creativity.
The second step is to set realistic and consistent limits on screen time for children. The AAP recommends the following guidelines:
- For children younger than 18 months, avoid screen time other than video chatting with family and friends.
- For children 18 to 24 months, introduce high-quality digital media that is educational and interactive, and watch it with them to help them understand what they are seeing.
- For children, 2 to 5 years, limit screen time to one hour per day of high-quality digital media that is educational and interactive, and watch it with them to help them learn from it.
- For children 6 years and older, establish consistent limits on screen time that allow enough time for physical activity, sleep, family time, and other healthy behaviors.
- For all children, avoid screen time one hour before bedtime, and keep screens out of the bedroom.
The third step is to encourage alternative activities that are fun, engaging, and beneficial for children’s development. Some examples are:
- Reading books or listening to audiobooks
- Playing board games or card games
- Doing arts and crafts or puzzles
- Cooking or baking
- Gardening or taking care of pets
- Playing sports or going for a walk
- Visiting a museum or a library
- Volunteering or joining a club
Reducing screen time for children can be challenging, but it is not impossible. By understanding the risks, setting limits, and offering alternatives, parents, and caregivers can help their children find a healthy balance between technology and real life.
By
Sujata Muguda
Shreyas WebMedia Solutions