The Screen Time Project

I really liked this article from Common Sense Media. A nice breakdown is given of the various categories of screen time ranging from passive viewing to content creation. The article also advises parents to monitor children after screen time to assess whether the results are positive or negative. My wife and I began doing this somewhat instinctively a few years ago when we noticed that after watching a movie the night before our two oldest daughters were far more likely to say they were bored or couldn't think of anything to do. This was unusual for them, as normally they would spend huge portions of each day involved in creative play, crafting, and doing activities like puzzles. We decided at that time to limit screen time as much as possible. Click the link below to read the article. LINK

Click the link below to read the whole article. Takeaways- Too much screen time can damage the minds of young and old alike, but the cure includes outside time, healthy interactions with other people, exercise, natural light, and creative hands-on activities. To see the whole list, click below. Spoiler alert- you probably already know you should be doing most of the things on the list. LINK

Click the link below to learn more. The American Academy of Pediatrics is a driving force behind many of the articles linked on this blog, as well as the recommendations you may be getting from your pediatrician or other health professional regarding screen time. Check it out if you are the type who likes to get information straight from the source. LINK

Please click the link below to read the article. Takeaways- A small amount of screen time can have benefits for children in terms of reflex development and communication skills, but the average child is spending more than 7 hours per day in front of a screen, and this carries some significant risks of developmental problems. LINK

Click the link below to read the whole article. My takeaways- The average parent spends over 9 hours a day looking at a screen, and 80% of parents think they are setting a good example for their children when it comes to screen time. Is there a disconnect here? This article also recognizes the disconnect that sometimes exists between what parents "know" and what is possible, for example, convincing kids to eat healthy foods. LINK

The two articles below seem to be drawing from the same American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for very young children, but appear to have read the guidelines slightly differently. In the Slate article, the new AAP guidelines are heralded as a long overdue recognition that kids under two can and should be using screens. The Mayo Clinic position is that the guidelines recognize screen time as an option so long as practices such as interacting with apps alongside your child are followed, but says "children younger than age 2 are more likely to learn and remember information from a live presentation than they are from a video." Click the links below to read both articles and feel free to leave a comment! SLATE MAYO CLINIC

This article was published in 2014. Please click the link below to read the whole thing. The takeaway point- According to a UCLA study, kids who spend a lot of time looking at a screen may be exhibiting a reduced ability to recognize emotions. LINK

My name is Martin and I'm studying Secondary Education at Ball State University. I've created this blog as a resource for parents, teachers, and others who work with children to learn about the positive and negative aspects of "screen time" for children. Screen time of course can refer to social media use, television and movies, gaming, educational apps, and much more. Please feel free to suggest articles to be featured on this blog by mentioning them in the comments section or by contacting me directly. I hope you are having a great day!