Screen Time Guidelines For Children
In today’s age of technology, it’s important to remember that less is more. Technology is a wonderful tool that entertains, connects, serves, and creates. It consistently makes our lives easier by providing us with directions, connecting us with family across the country, and providing us with endless information via the internet. Although technology is in many ways beneficial, too much of it can be harmful to our children. Too much technology/screen time can negatively affect the following areas of development:
Brain Development and Maturation
Screen time for children can release an excess amount of dopamine (a chemical in your brain that makes you feel good). Children can build up a tolerance to dopamine and begin to need more and more of it to get the same response that they did in the beginning. This can lead to more and more unnecessary use of technology.
A child’s executive functions, ability to plan, organize, manage time, inhibit inappropriate actions or responses, and have good judgment and impulse control can also be negatively affected by over use of screens.
All bodies have a “fight or flight” response when we encounter something dangerous/scary. While looking at screens, children’s “fight or flight” response can turn on and stay on due to a higher level of stress. This can be negative as it can increase our stress level.
Myelination is the process in which connections in your brain become more efficient. Children exposed to an abundance of screen time can be overstimulated by the glow, light, and speed damaging this process and leaving permanent damage.
Technology is controlled by the user. If a child is playing a game that is difficult, he or she has the ability to quit. This limits opportunities for the child to learn perseverance skills.
Research has shown that children exposed to screens for more than two hours a day often score lower on language and thinking tests.
Social Relationships and Engagement
Children who spend an excess amount of time in front of screens can experience difficulty acquiring and participating in social relationships. Play is an essential part of a child’s social and emotional growth and development. Unfortunately, watching people interact/play on a screen does not provide children with the same learning potential as interacting/playing with people themselves. These children experience increased difficulty reading other’s facial expressions and body language and responding to emotion appropriately. These children can also develop a lack of empathy when exposed to violence, mostly found in video games.
Children can also be negatively affected by their parent’s use of technology. Choosing to be overly attentive to devices can result in less quantity and quality of communication.
Come back next week for tech-free games and activities you can try with your children/family!