The advancement in technology has created the possibility for children nowadays to have access to various kinds of devices including laptops, tablets, phones, etc. with which they can explore the internet to watch videos, play video games, etc. Instead of playing with toys or spending fun times with friends, some children now prefer having unlimited screen time with these digital devices especially when they are not being monitored.
One out of the many causes of too much screen time is that parents nowadays have also cultivated the habit of giving their toddlers smartphones, tablets, laptops, or sitting him/her down in front of TV for as long as they want to distract them whenever they are busy. This contributes to how addicted the child becomes to these electronic devices.
5 ways too much screen time can affect your child
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Lack of sleep: Watching TV or playing video games during bed hours can reduce how much rest a child gets and increase next-day sleepiness which can meddle with his/her normal day-to-day activities. It also causes insomnia as a result of lack of release of melatonin; a hormone the brain produces in response to darkness which helps with sleep.
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Reduced performance in school: Study has proven that children who have too much screen time tend to perform poorly in their academic activities due to delayed white matter development in the brain.
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Promotion of sedentary lifestyle: The amount of time a child spends being physically inactive increases due to screentime causing other activities like exercising to become greatly reduced. This can result in obesity in such kids which is unhealthy.
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Exposure to violent shows: Children who are allowed to have screen time without being monitored can be exposed to violent video games and movies which is detrimental to their mental well-being and lifestyle.
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Inability to interact in society: Spending too much time in front of screens instead of interacting with friends or family can affect the child's ability to do that later in the future.
What to do to curb high screen time in your home
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Limit your screen time too and spend quality time with your child(ren) instead.
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Engage your children in other interesting activities like exercising, cooking, reading books, etc. to distract them from using digital devices all the time.
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Keep family time, mealtime, and bedtime screen-free
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Avoid putting digital devices in your toddlers’ bedroom so they don't have access to it when they should be having a bedtime
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Monitor your child’s screen time by co-watching to select the kinds of content they are exposed to and how long they spend watching.
According to studies, too much screen time may negatively change a child’s brain and lifestyle, hence, the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) has recommended that children below 18 months should avoid screen time. Screen time for children above 18-24 months should be strictly monitored by their parents and the devices used should be one with high-quality programming. This also applies to children aged 2-5 years. In addition, parents are advised to lead by example.
