The article discusses how media and screen technology is affecting children in today’s society. Children are using screens somewhere around 4o hours a week and parents are not realizing the harmful effects it has on their children. Many parents don’t realize the harmful effects of screen time because they are not immediate. It was explained that many parents don’t feel like the effort they have to put in is worth it because the decline in school performance and other problems are so gradual that it is almost unnoticeable. Doctors recommend that children 2 years old and above should be limited to 1 to 2 hours of screen time a day and no more. When children are getting many more hours, it causes problems with academics, obesity, sleep schedules, and behavior. The study done by Iowa State University found that limiting screen time indirectly affected BMI. When screen time is limited, children exhibit better school performance, get more sleep, among other health benefits.
This article is relevant in today’s society because technology is becoming increasingly available to the general public. I remember that I was not allowed to have a cell phone until freshman year of high school and now there are many elementary aged children with smart phones and, even younger, toddlers with tablets. There are many dvd’s and tablet apps that are geared towards parents with children as a learning tool. It is convenient to let your child be immersed in screen technology because the parent knows where their child is and that the child is staying out of trouble, but they cannot see the harmful effects the screen time has on the child. I believe that parents should be informed through research of their own or by their pediatrician so that their children can lead a healthier lifestyle. We are aware that too much screen time for adults is not healthy, so why are we letting our children spend 40 plus hours looking at a screen?
– Taylor Hilton, April 3, 2014