Is It Time to Ween off the Screens?

“Can I have your phone?” - said every kid always.

CNN published an article discussing how screen-time affects the developing brain of little kids during their prime brain development time.  

“The new study scanned the brains of children 3 to 5 years old and found those who used screens more than the recommended one hour a day without parental involvement had lower levels of development in the brain's white matter -- an area key to the development of language, literacy, and cognitive skills.” 

Sure, screen-time can be educational because children watch informative shows or play educational games. Screen-time may also keep our little ones entertained. But, are we helping or hurting our kids? We may think our kids are learning and we may be thankful to get an extra 15-minutes of work done thanks to their tablets, but how will this impact them in the long run?

Think back to a time when we had less access to our screens...let’s say a time when we used our phones to make phone calls and not anything else. Was playing outside after school so bad? Do you remember having conversations / social interactions rather than being glued to the screen?

We live in a high-tech fast-paced world. Screens are...everywhere. With a few taps and clicks, we have an abundant amount of entertainment through a tablet, phone, or computer. Technology enables so many wonderful things, but it’s time to stop and think about the not-so-wonderful effects it may have on our kids. 

But, is it time to stop? Only you can make that decision. The American Academy of Pediatrics has resources available online that can help parents create a family media plan. It’s important to educate yourself on the matter and decide what is best for you and your family.