Anyone interested in the well-being of infants and children might wonder how much screen time is too much?
Whether a child's time is spent accompanied by an engaged adult in active, not passive, viewing is equally important.
Infants under the age of 18 months should have no screen time, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Babies 18-24 months can watch children's content as long as they are accompanied by a parent or caregiver who can reinforce the lessons with questions and learning. After the age of two, a one-hour time of screen time applies. Check out this brief article with guidelines on infant and children's screen time.
Screens Are Not Baby-Sitters
We know infant care is the most demanding of jobs. While some time in front of a screen is great for adult relaxing, it is the last thing a baby needs. They are not ready for screen time.
Some images on screens move too quickly for young, developing brains and eyes. Also, viewing material created for older audiences is unsuitable for children and may be confusing.
Supervision of infants and children's viewing is key.
Children who use media with no time limits or monitoring from parents or teachers miss out on important opportunities and gains in their skills in socialization. They also unknowingly trade passive viewing and learning for more valuable active learning with engagement, exploration and problem-solving experiences in the real world .
Tiers of Learning
We are always learning. It is parents and caregivers who decide for kids if their learning is passive or active.
Active learning is better than passive learning. Researchers who study the effects of TV viewing on kids report that children who spend their time actively learning in play, sports, doing art projects, building things, visiting museums, and reading make more gains than children who spend time passively learning in front of the TV screen.
TV screen time vs. Internet screen time
They look the same, and there is a lot of overlap, but one very important difference is that TV programs are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. TV stations can lose their broadcast license if standards for programs are disregarded. That is a strong incentive.
No such guard rail exists on streaming sites including YouTube and other social media that enter the home via the Internet. That's why parents and caregivers need to think of the content of TV and the Internet as being distinct and requiring different approaches.
Interrupt the Hypnosis
My busy mother must’ve thought TV made a great babysitter. I was quiet and out of her way for hours in front of the TV. That electronic babysitter, however, was a regulated business.
Today, anything that comes in to the home via the Internet has no regulation. Content is governed only by the principle that more watching on the consumer's part equals more money for the producers. The consumer's health is of no concern to them.
If screen time is monitored for time as recommended, and when children watch along with their caregiver who actively asks and answers questions about what they both are watching and listening to, screen time promotes learning.
Without these safeguards, the free and easy babysitter may bring more harm to our kids than benefit, and no one can afford that.
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