Loneliness, stress, isolation and agitation can all result from too much screen time.
Say what?
Yes, some of the behaviors and actions or lack there of exhibited by your child, that you are unsure about the cause of, can come about because your child is watching too much tv, on the computer, glued to the phone for too long or similar.
Fortunately, our lives have been simplified through the advancement of technology. Kids can access lessons or educational material from anywhere and families can enjoy concerts at home in their living room. However, due to the additional exposure and use of devices with a screen, screen time has drastically increased creating some adverse effects.
Everyday activities like downloading music, texting and playing games in excess can lead to the feelings above as well as sadness, aggressiveness, nervousness and withdrawal to name a few.
So what is the appropriate amount?
- Children under age two: no screen time
- Children aged two to four: less than one hour a day of screen time
- Children and teens aged 5 to 17: maximum of two hours a day of recreational screen time (watching television, messaging friends or playing computer games)
In addition, the type of screen time can vary. For instance, video calling a family member is different from streaming videos to a developing brain. With so much screen time naturally occurring it’s up to parents and guardians to model healthy behaviors. Remember, a healthy mind leads to a healthy child.
