Screen Time: Trains, Brains, and Gains
It is six-thirty on a Saturday morning and I am trying desperately to sleep in until eight-thirty. I am sure that you have been there. Each kid comes into my room a total of three times which in my home equals twelve, disruptive awakenings. I realize that I have a choice. I can join those who are “morning people” and get up to start my day. I can also choose to stay in bed for the next hour with frequent interruptions as I try hard to dream a bit longer. How can I keep the kids busy while I am trying not to be a morning person? In a perfect world I would have them play a Candyland, Legos, Jenga and toy trains while I snooze. In real life? They have some screen time.
It is six-thirty on a Monday evening. We have already had afterschool activities and after running in different directions are finally back home. But it is crunch time as bedtime for the little is in 1 short hour. My mental list has baths, chores, reading, charting for Mommy and last minute school stuff. If only the day was longer. Oh and I have to feed everyone! I wonder how can I keep the littles busy while I cook so I don’t burn the food or do some charting? In a perfect world I would play Candyland, Legos, Jenga and toy trains with them. In real life? They have some screen time.
I am a pediatrician and well aware of the screen time recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics: under 18 m, only video chatting. 18 m-24 m, high quality shows with an adult present and engaging them. 2 yo – 5 yo, high quality, 1 hour per day limit, with an engaging adult. 6 y and older, time limits on type of shows/ media, not replacing sleep time, physical activity or other healthy behaviors. They also recommend to have designated media- free times and locations together as a family. Lastly, they encourage ongoing communication about online social responsibility and safety. I strive to be intentional, set limits on screen time and revisit this necessary but invasive presence of media in our lives. I do not allow TVs in bedrooms, screens at dinnertime, unlimited access to the internet or unlimited media time. Do I change the rules sometimes? Yes. Do I make it a point to focus on playing, outside time and quality time as a family? Always. There is no perfect way to parent. There is no one size fits all way to approach media use for every family. But I can tell you from experience that on those days when the screens are on too much, it is blatantly obvious. There is an ever present abyss of screen time always lingering and the kids are running towards it. The change in the mood and energy of my home is palpable when the screens are off. I can hear the creative juices at work. It is welcomed and enjoyable to watch. So I make rules about media time, then I change them up when needed. I explain why to my littles again and again, then I remind myself to continue to be intentional about it. Are there days when we watch more movies because someone is home sick? Or Mommy has charting to do? Or Daddy is napping after a long hospital shift? Or we are in the car for a long time going on a trip? Yes there are those days. That is OK in my family as long as we are following our media limits most of the time, engaging our children often and spending quality time with them playing, experiencing and loving on them.
Studies have shown that screen time for children can affect their cognitive, emotional and social development -it affects their brains in a big way. Distraction takes away from person to person conversations/ playtime which further develop valuable social skills. The blue light wavelengths wake up their brains and affect sleep onset/ duration which in turn affects school performance, behavior and emotions. MRIs have shown actual differences in the brain structure of younger kids (who watch more then the AAP recommended time), specifically in areas of language and literacy. In teens, more video game time has been linked to poorer academic performance. Many studies are in the early stages and the reality is that we aren’t definite about the affects of media on our children as time will tell. But we do know that the best way to maximize your child’s brain development and enhance neuron connections is to play, read, sing, engage and limit screen time. If there is screen time in your home, be intentional about limits, types and adding yourself into the experience – discussing storylines, singing along, playing the video game with your child. The affects of media are impressive but so is the opportunity for us as parents to set limits, recognize the benefits of engaging our children and choose an intentional plan for screen time in our homes – these are the beautiful gains.