Screen Time: Are Children Getting Too Much?
Think about the amount of time people spend on technology, what do you think it’s doing to our brains, what about children’s brains? Many people today, including children spend hours on their technology. Have you ever been looking at a screen for too long and your eyes start to hurt? This has many names, one is “Computer Eye Strain,” this can be caused by too bright of light and can cause a very sharp pain or strain in the eye. In some cases it can affect eye vision, so imagine what it can do to a brain, or even worse a developing brain, the brain of a child.
Children are getting too much screentime and it can damage their brains. An article stated, “In today's high tech and busy world, it's a challenge to limit children's total media time. There is constant exposure to TV, computers, and video games. It was a challenge to get my 7-year-old away from the screen without him beginning to hate me. I encouraged more interactive
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“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that "kids under 2 years old not watch any TV, and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming." Most programs should be informational, educational, and nonviolent, and the programs should be monitored.” (Arora,M.) Many people believe that screen time and technology is good, as long as it’s in moderation. Just some children and people in general should have less time and be monitored a bit more. Study shows that the AAP recommended keeping, “TV sets, VCRs, video games, and computers out of children's bedrooms.” This happens to be a very good idea, it will make a place in the child’s home be free of the technology and they won’t be tempted to stay up late on the technology or do anything they shouldn’t be doing on it. It also helps cut down on the time usage of the
Television, or screen time, has become a large part of today's society. Whether it's by way of smart-phones, a television, a computer, or a tablet, screen time has negative effects on the cognitive ability of children and adolescents. It has even been proven that it can lead to Alzheimer's disease when a person, in the age range of 20-60 years old, views an hour more than the recommended amount of screen time a day (Sigman 14). In children, the amount of screen time viewed has a relationship with the likelihood of developing a deficit in his attention span; the longer a child views screen time, the more likely he is to be diagnosed with an attention disorder. Screen time, or television, can cause attention disorders and other problem with cognitive abilities in children and adolescents that effect the education they can comprehend.
Harris and Greenfield make many claims about how technology if negatively affecting children and their growth out of maturity and into real life. One of these is that the brain adapts to the things it experiences. Hours of internet use causes the brain to change itself to work best for internet use and not in the reality of the world. Also, if children are spending so much time on the internet, they are not going outside and getting sun, exercise, and excitement from the natural things around them. All of these things are important to the growth of a child. Children are also becoming unable to deeply think about their ideas and how to express them clearly. In line with that, they expect instant answers and quick rewards, therefore losing the ability to wait and be
Excessive screen time can affect people physically, socially, and emotionally. Spending excessive time in front of a screen impacts a child’s physical health. For example, a child who spends more than four hours per day in front of a screen, is less physically fit (Narvaez). The child also eats more junk food but less fruits and vegetables (Narvaez). The Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicinereports, “for each hour of tv watched, a child will consume an additional
There is a growing body of research that technology can be both beneficial and harmful to different ways in which children think. Children are born ready to learn. They cultivate eighty-five percent of their intellect, personality and skills by age five. The first months and years of life set the stage for lifelong development. It actually takes up to twelve years for the brain to become fully organized, with parts of the cortex still to become organized through the later teen years. This being said, children should not be exposed to computer technology until late in the education process because computers often distract young learners from acquiring basic information and skills.
A parent’s duty when they have children is to give them the best life they can, and some of that has to do with how much they allow their kids to access through a screen. With the life they give them, they also give them a home with their own rules and structure. There are certain things parents can do to best prepare their children to be successful in the classroom. This can range from monitoring the kinds of shows they watch to how often they let them access any kind of screen. Some of the most important things that lead to success should be taught very early on so as to inspire life long patterns; parents should only expose their children to shows with educational content, allow them to watch in moderation, and encourage literacy with the correct shows and devices.
Michael Strahan shows that “limiting screen time can have tremendous benefits on children’s physical activity” (Strahan). Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests, “Children should get no more than one to two hours of screen time a day” (Jones). Screen time has become a problem simply because it is used too much. Limiting screen time could massively benefit not only children, but adults as well. There are other forms of entertainment besides technology that can be equally as entertaining and healthier than the use of a screen.
Research shows between 2011 and 2013 children 8 years and younger more than doubled their use of media devices with screens. Looking at a screen for to long makes my eyes hurt and gives me a migraine, that's when I know to stop. According to a scientific journal article the light from a screen confuses viewers body
An event eleven years in the making came to its inevitable conclusion on October 7, 2014, at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, Georgia. Thank You Scientist, the first band to land a contract deal with Evil Ink Records, were premiered as the opening act. Subsequently, Coheed and Cambria performed their landmark album In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 in its entirety, during an ongoing tour series entitled Neverender. Author: Lakia Young Category: Review Subcategory: Video
Many people have a wide range of opinions on whether technology is having a positive influence on our children or a negative, there is a vast amount of evidence to support both of these arguments. Technology can refer to so many things, but there are three main parts of technology that have the greatest effect on our children: video games, television/media, and computers. The modern technologies we have today are so powerful because they attract our genetic biases, that the human brain has a tremendous love for visually presented information. Video games, television, movies and computer programs are all very visually oriented and therefore they attract and keep the attention of children easily. By far the largest concern of technology today is video games.
Almost every child between the ages of eight and twelve are getting cell phones. The average home in America has as many televisions as they do people. Only 20% of American homes do not have a computer. Technology is quickly becoming a new way of life. The amount of time people are on their devices is growing rapidly. According to The Huffington Post, people are on their devices for on average about eleven hours and fifty-two minutes a day. That is almost half a day and a lot longer than most people sleep or work. People have not realized yet how they or their families are being affected by this constant use of technology. As a result of technology increasing, children are experiencing health problems, school issues, and social problems.
I feel that "Screen Time Limits Are Vital for Children" has many good points to why we parents should limit screen time. "Between 2011-2013, children ages 8 and under more than doubled their use of media devices with screens. The increase for children under age 2 was even higher". I believe some parents let their children have more screen time to keep them occupied while doing daily chores, dinner ect. I as an uncle do not let my nephew have screen time while visiting. I encourage him to do other activities. I feel like children need to learn how to have fun without a electronics. I agree with this outlook of screens, 7.5 hours of screen time per day is way to much for a child even an adult.
Children growing up in the modern world of today would rather stay inside and play on the internet, watch television, or play video games than go outside and play. Serious repetitive strain injuries suffered after spending hours glued to game consoles is up 60% since 2002 (Par. 5 Clarke). Technology and modern society have created lifestyle changes that are detrimental to the well being of children. First, this paper will discuss the effects of technology and modern society on the physical and mental health of the children. Second, the paper will discuss the dangers to children resulting from new technology. Lastly, the paper will discuss the modern lifestyle changes in families and their effects on the children.
To continue, everyone can agree that children need a healthy environment to develop cognitive, social, emotional, physical and linguistic development. How much technology can improve or distract from these essential skills varies with age. The impact and implications of technology tools on young children has been studied and researched through the Let’s Move Childcare initiative and results concluded that little to no “screen time” is preferred for children under the age of two. For children two years or older, the recommended “screen time” is limited to thirty minutes per week in the classroom setting. (White House, 2011.)
Children learn to think, feel, and react according to the visual images they see in a virtual world. Television may hinder their ability to interact and communicate in the reality of their environment. School age children, who watch more than an hour or two of television, tend to do less homework and have poor listening and concentration skills. Preschool children who view up to two hours a day of entertainment shows, may have lower reading and language aptitudes, and are less likely to read books and other print media. Reading books not only reveals a world of knowledge to children; it also exposes them to fifty percent more vocabulary words prime time television.
In United States, “Children watch 4 hours of television every day, 28 hours a week and, sometimes, 10 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Before their 18th birthday, children may view 25,000 hours of television” (Ni Chang 85). Nowadays, technology has been developed and used in many different ways. Many children spend large amount of time on IPad, smart phone, and computer. Clearly, television has played an important role in most of the younger age group’s life. As a parent, one of the biggest concerns about the influence that television has on the children is that they tend to become aggressive while they watch a lot of violent program. Communicating and engaging with one and other is limited because television has destroyed communication among family and removed children from the social interaction. Moreover, watching a lot of TV also contributes child obesity. Overall, television is harmful for children in their early development because it is not only going to delay their brain development, but also increase their aggressive behavior, and cause child obesity in a long term period.