In such a time and age when technology is easily accessible and savvy, I believe parents should restrict their usage according to the hours children can use them. Smartphones and iPad’s are in every home. By the time the child is two, he/she knows their way around them. Like every parent, even I am having issues about my son’s screen time. Initially it used to be only 1.5/2 hrs., but as he is growing up iPhone and iPad are being added along with the TV. Its hideous!
Little S watching TV
Gone are the days when children use to play outside and ride bicycles. Technology, as much as it has made our lives better, is also one of the main reasons why our children do not have the same childhood as we did. After researching about it, I gathered a list of damages too much screen-time is doing to our children.
- An irregular sleep-cycle
- Depression
- Poor social behavior
- Weak school performance
- Less creativity
- Limiting daily challenges
- Diabetes
- Development delays
- Learning difficulty
- Increase in physical, psychological and behavior disorders.
The list is endless, but these are just a few to get parents like us worried about what we are really doing to our children. I am not saying that we should just ‘turn it off’. I know this is not the solution. We, as parents, can alter our children’s routine so that they can have their screen-time as well as developing sensor and motor skills that are required of them.
Today’s parent believes that providing their children with more television and educational apps on their iPhone’s is helping their motor skills and making them smarter. However, little do they know that even the best apps cannot beat real-life activities and human interaction.
Little S trying to color.
We can create more social activities to increase their developing skills. The things we can do can be:
- Mommy meet ups!!
- Take children to play areas.
- Allot a time of the day for story time.
- Play board games/blocks.
- Play with a ball.
- Go for archery or swimming classes.
- HUG!!
Entertaining himself in his ball house.
A worried parent will always do what right for their children. We all want our children to have a bright future. why don’t we all start by making them socially active. In real terms!!
Credits
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-rowan/technology-children-negative-impact_b_3343245.html
https://childmind.org/article/value-screen-time-toddlers-preschoolers/
Mamameeya 
I am currently implementing a screen time limit in my household because I was noticing all those things you listed above with my 5-year-old. We are only on day 4 or 5 and every day has gotten a little better. He is allowed 30 minutes of the iPad (learning apps only) in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon and same for the TV. He is also enrolled in Soccer and Swim Lessons. Slowly but surely we’re breaking this cycle! Great post!! ❤
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My little one has a screen limit as well. The sad thing is that we aren’t able to let our kids roam the streets as freely as when we were young. When I was young, I would leave on a summer morning and not come home until dinner time. There is no way I can give my child this freedom now-a-days. But yes, activating their imaginations while around the house is a big deal and something I strive to do with my youngen.
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I totally agree with you. We need to be more creative with our children these days or else they will be technology driven. They just wont be able to do things themselves anymore. Sad reality!
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