Unplugging our Kids!
Screen time is a big deal. As a mom, I totally get the tendency to let our kids watch TV, play on tablets, play video games, and so forth. I also know (and love) a lot of the educational programing that is out there. But having said that, I want to plead to parents to keep working hard to keep your kids reading books and not reading screens. There is a special relationship that can be developed when kids read from books. Great books can become great friends. Stories are not the same on a screen. Kids may love a story they read online but they will not have memory of holding a beloved book and treasuring it. This is so important! I have many books I love and treasure. I have specific memories of reading certain books, holding them, and never wanting to let them go. That is how much I love my books. Lucky for me, I am not alone in advocating less screen time or loving books!
In a recent article posted by the Mayo Clinic, they state that:
Although some screen time can be educational, it’s easy to go overboard. Consider this guide to children and TV, including what you can do to keep your child’s screen time in check (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/children-and-tv/MY00522/NSECTIONGROUP=2).
The Mayo Clinic cites the American Academy of Pediatrics explaining that it discourages media use by children younger than age 2 and recommends limiting older children’s screen time to no more than one or two hours a day. Too much screen time has been linked to:
- 1. Obesity. The more TV your child watches, the greater his or her risk is of becoming overweight. Having a TV in a child’s bedroom also increases this risk. Children can also develop an appetite for junk food promoted in TV ads, as well as overeat while watching TV.
- 2. Irregular sleep. The more TV children watch, the more likely they are to have trouble falling asleep or to have an irregular sleep schedule. Sleep loss, in turn, can lead to fatigue and increased snacking.
- 3. Behavioral problems. Elementary students who spend more than two hours a day watching TV or using a computer are more likely to have emotional, social and attention problems. Exposure to video games is also linked with an increased risk of attention problems in children. Watching excessive amounts of TV at age 4 is linked with bullying at ages 6 through 11.
- 4. Impaired academic performance. Elementary students who have TVs in their bedrooms tend to perform worse on tests than do those who don’t have TVs in their bedrooms.
- 5. Violence. Too much exposure to violence through media — especially on TV — can desensitize children to violence. As a result, children might learn to accept violent behavior as a normal way to solve problems.
- 6. Less time for play. Excessive screen time leaves less time for active, creative play.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also give us “simple steps” of how to limit screen time including:
- 1. Eliminate background TV. If the TV is turned on — even if it’s just in the background — it’s likely to draw your child’s attention. If you’re not actively watching a show, turn off the TV.
- 2. Keep TVs and computers out of the bedroom. Children who have TVs in their bedrooms watch more TV than children who don’t have TVs in their bedrooms. Monitor your child’s screen time and the websites he or she is visiting by keeping TVs and computers in a common area in your house.
- 3. Don’t eat in front of the TV. Allowing your child to eat or snack in front of the TV increases his or her screen time. The habit also encourages mindless munching, which can lead to weight gain.
- 4. Set school day rules. Most children have limited free time during the school week. Don’t let your child spend all of it in front of a screen. Also, avoid using screen time as a reward or punishment. This can make screen time seem even more important to children.
- 5. Talk to your child’s caregivers. Encourage other adults in your child’s life to limit your child’s screen time, too.
- 6. Suggest other activities. Rather than relying on screen time for entertainment, help your child find other things to do, such as reading, playing a sport, helping with cooking or trying a board game.
- 7. Set a good example. Be a good role model by limiting your own screen time.
- 8. Unplug it. If screen time is becoming a source of tension in your family, unplug the TV, turn off the computer or put away the smart phones or video games for a while. You might designate one day a week or month as a screen-free day for the whole family. To prevent unauthorized TV viewing, put a lock on your TV’s electrical plug.
- 9. Become an active participant. When your child has screen time, make it as engaging as possible.
Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino
Doug is a robot. His parents want him to be smart, so each morning they plug him in and start the information download. After a morning spent learning facts about the city, Doug suspects he could learn even more about the city by going outside and exploring it. And so Doug . . . unplugs. What follows is an exciting day of adventure and discovery. Doug learns amazing things by doing and seeing and touching and listening—and above all, by interacting with a new friend. This is such a fun story with a unique approach to the topic.
Hello Hello! by Matthew Cordell
Outside the world is bright and colorful, but Lydia’s family is too busy with their gadgets to notice. She says Hello to everyone. Hello? Hello! Her father says hello while texting, her mother says hello while working on her laptop and her brother doesn’t say hello at all. The T.V shouts Hello! But she doesn’t want to watch any shows. Lydia, now restless, ventures outside. There are so many things to say hello to! Hello rocks! Hello leaves! Hello flowers! When Lydia comes back home she decides to show her family what she has found, and it’s hello world and goodbye gadgets! I have used this book in my classes to teach the students about communication and the importance of being engaged in the world around us.
One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, “Mommm!” His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can’t work on her computer, and Dad can’t finish cooking dinner. What’s a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights–in stars that can be seen for a change–and so many neighbors it’s like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun–talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal . . . but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights, and out comes the board game again. I really like this book. It has an important message with great illustrations.
Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! This is a magical book. I have never met a kid that doesn’t LOVE it!
I’m Bored by Micheal Ian Black
Just when a little girl thinks she couldn’t possibly be more bored, she stumbles upon a potato who turns the tables on her by declaring that children are boring. But this girl isn’t going to let a vegetable tell her what’s what, so she sets out to show the unimpressed potato all the amazing things kids can do. Too bad the potato is anything but interested….This is really cute and super imaginative.
I love this blog because it is so true! I grew up without TV or any electronics and I found myself extremely lucky to just be able to learn from book and not rely on electronics like most kids these days. It’s sad to watch little kids know how to use a computer of iPad better than I do.
I love this blog post, because it shows how society is starting to abuse technology. I too believe that technology can be a great resource for learning, but too much time spent on laptops, cellphones, video games, television or etc. can result to addictions to people within our society. It is beneficial for parents to limit their children’s screen time, so that they don’t become victims of becoming addicts.
-I am a full time college student with 18 credits, and just recently realized how much time i waste of Facebook, when I should be using that time to do homework. Because of that, I just recently deactivated my Facebook and have been Facebook sober for a little over a week now.
It is true about how kids spend too much time watchingTV now a days. In my youth TV was still limited only to cable and I had a Mom, who was fortunate enough to love books. She as well passed on her love for books, I plan on doing the same for my future children. I love books and I hope to be able to help my children love them too so that they can not fall into the tendencies of being too connected to the internet or to video games.
Wow, what an eye-opener!! I know so many people who just let their children watch TV, because they don’t want to have to entertain them. I used to watch lots of TV, but I also read lots too when I was a child. There’s so much new technology now, it’s hard not to get easily distracted by it all.
When I first went off to college, everybody was talking about Facebook and how I should sign up and get an account. During my first semester up at BYU_ID. You couldn’t even get on Facebook. This drove people absolutely crazy, how were they supposed to talk to their friends?! I was glad I didn’t have an account, but somehow during my second semester, when Facebook wasn’t banned but you could only get on certain times during the day I ended up getting talked into signing up. Worst decision of my life!! I don’t like Facebook, but sadly it’s the only way I can keep in touch with some people.
I agree that books are great. I loved reading as a child and still do. I love curling up with a good book and some people may never understand this. Reading can be distracting too though I noticed that when me or my Mom are reading that seems to be the time when people always want to talk to us. Sometimes I’ll read in between classes and homework. The last couple of books I read were “Unmeasured Strength”, about the 9/11 survivor and “My Story” by Elizabeth Smart. I had the first one read in a week and the second one in three days. These stories are such eye-openers! I loved reading Unmeasured Strength about the 9/11 survivor Lauren Manning. I have come to look up to that woman and her amazing strength. I also loved reading about Elizabeth Smart’s story I already knew what happened but it was great hearing about why she did what she did, and how she was able to make it through it all.
I love this blog and especially all the stories. Nowadays, many peoples using tech to distract kids and this habit will became disastrous with growing age.
TV and computers can be wonderful tools but can also be traps in disguise. I visited my grandkids ages 6, 3 and 1 1/2 for Thanksgiving and had several experiences with them that included TV, computers and movies. My 6 year old grandson is very interested in Egypt, pharoahs, mummies,etc. Netflix had three documentaries by National Geographic about discovering tombs that were amazing and very educational. He was mesmerized. I took the 6 and 3 year old to Disney’s new movie Frozen and then got frozen ice cream after the movie and had a wonderful time. The problem came when they discovered my ipad. I have several games and in the past I have played them with them. However, after the discovery was made that is all they wanted to do. They were pretty good about taking turns but it really became an obsession. In short, media can be a great tool if it facilitates interaction but if media is not controlled, it an be a dangerous distraction. Hooray for books.
I grew up with a TV and all kind of video games. I remember the Christmas when we got a Nintendo 64 and I played it all the time. I find now that I play less and less video games due to school, work and social events. I wish now that I had read more books and spent less time in front of a TV with a controller in my hand. Good thing it isn’t too late to change that.
I am really enjoying going through and reading the posts on this blog. I enjoy how each writer is not afraid to share personal stories and relate things to their personal lives. I think kids should have time limits on their television watching time so that they don’t just waste their days away.
I love the ideas given here, however, I find it harder and harder as my children grow up to be the all seeing all knowing type. They are in high school now and go to friends houses and other places that I can not simply dictate the amount of screen time they get there. I talk to the parents of their friends when I can and have installed a parental control program on the computers that amounts to a nanny bot that will only allow them access to the computer at given times for a given length of time.
They also have phones that allow them access to other forms of communication so I try to keep an eye on what is going on but honestly feel that at some point they need to learn to monitor themselves. So I pull back from total control and allow them to find the balance they need, but still provide the parental role of limiting time if I see an imbalance starting.
I couldn’t agree more! It is kind of shocking to see how the rising generation of toddlers is so capable of using ipads! I agree that every child should have a good set of his or her own books that he or she can look back on. Most of them have great moral stories behind them and teach excellent lessons that are important for childhood development. I fear that the kids glued to ipads will be experts at angry birds but they will lack the education that storybooks provide!
Totally agree, technology or screen time can be the greatest benefit to you but can also ruin and take away some precious things as well. I remember growing up only as a 90’s child and never wanting to be inside, yeah we had game-boys and some tv, but being outside riding bikes, making jumps, getting hurt on the tramp were some of the best times of my life. Its amazing now when i see my sibling complaining that there bored and they have no imagination when it comes to anything. I believe that it will come back around and hurt them later if they are not able to have fun and think outside the “box” Great article.
Have to agree with all the comments said already! I have two younger brothers and growing up they would see me playing video games with friends every once in awhile, so naturally they were more drawn to play. Every once in awhile my family will have pretty neat experiences like in the story blackout and we all turn off our cell phones, iPads, computers, and the T.V. and just talk or go on adventures.
It definitely is important to make sure kids don’t grow up surrounded by electronics 24/7. They need to go outside and exercise and play with others their age. It’s also a good idea to unplug from everything as an adult. We could always find something more beneficial and even healthier then spending several hours watching TV or playing on your phone. Imagine all of the possible people you could have met if you didn’t have headphones in listening to music or spending time to text a friend while walking to class.
I can’t tell you how amazing it is on how smart kids are today and how technologically inclined they are. My nephew who is a year and a half old loves my smart phone. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing on it, he’ll sit there and just watch me and try to do what I’m doing. He’ll then get up and go to the tv in our living room and hit the screen, trying to swipe and move things on screen with his hands. So I think it is very important that kids growing up today should be taught to know the importance of playing outside and the importance of using your imagination.
When I was still pretty young my parents decided to get rid of T.V. service in our house. We still had a T.V., but no channels. We would watch the occasional movie, but my parents wanted us to be outside playing or if we couldn’t be outside we would read. I am so thankful that they did that because now I love books and don’t really care for watching T.V. I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything and I intend to do the same thing for my future children. I think it did a lot to shape me as a person and I think everyone should look into doing something similar.
So many parent today dont realize how much there kids are involved in technology already. Video games and TV at home too often I would assume could be very bad for the child development process. My parents refused to let me have a game box as a kid so I played outside and got into school sports and extracurricular activities. Now that ive been out of my families home for the last 4 years things have changed and my siblings are so into tv and video games that they hate sports and playing outside. It bums me out. The idea of kids reading actual books is great too. I haven’t done that myself in a long time because of my tablet and i miss actually holding a book.
I think that another possible way to help the situation is to make sure that most of the kid’s screen time is spent with other people. Playing video games and watching movies with a group are actually very important social skills that they’ll probably need as a teenager and older (especially for boys, at least in this culture). When I was a kid I spent a lot of time gaming with my friends and learned how to become a good winner/loser, how to share/take turns, and how to be a good host/guest. It is a little bit harder now than it was when I was a kid because most stuff is online, but there are some great games out there that let kids play with others (though of course, everything in moderation)
As many have said the electronics are wonderful tools but can also be this nasty two edge sword. I do not have kids yet but i worry about raising them in the future with all the options and easy access of electronics. I seriously wonder how much of an imagination a kid can have while staring at a screen constantly. I remember having to think up of things to do because we didn’t have a computer and the T.V. was not as entertaining as the adventures you could have in the playroom or outdoors. It is wonderful to see that these studies have these conclusions and that we can be aware of the benefits and the issues with the screen times.