Hot Topic

 SCREEN TIME AND CHILDREN

In this blog post, I will introduce a hot topic these days. Indeed, technology takes more and more space, which has an impact on the lives of children. I will talk about the consequences of screen time for children and what you should do as a parent. 

What Does Too Much Screen Time Do to Children’s Brains?

This article explains the impact screen time can have on a child's life. Indeed, children who spend a lot of time on a smartphone can have a lower score on a language test and thinking tests. So, we see that screens affect the brain development of children. This article presents the consequences of screen time on childhood development. As a matter of fact, young children learn by exploring their environment, but screens can prevent them from doing it. Also, we understand that screen time has an impact on how children learn and on their sleep. These screens are addictive for children, so the pediatrician who wrote this article presents some tips for parents on how to introduce screens in children's lives. I encourage you to read this article because it is a subject that touches all of us.

My opinion:

I think screens are a hot subject nowadays because we see that more and more children use smartphones. Indeed, we all have already seen a child in a stroller on a smartphone. So, I suppose it is a way for parents to keep their child busy while doing something else, but maybe it is not the right way. In fact, parents should also be watching the show or the game with their children to know what their little ones are watching and help children understand what they are seeing. So, screens should not be a way to distract their child.

During the summer, I worked at a summer camp and realized children have less interest in doing activities because they want to play on an electronic device. For them, playing on a phone is more interesting than going outside. So, I think screens have their advantage, but we should use them reasonably. Indeed, children should still play outside with friends because, for me, that is where you learn more about yourself and the environment around you. In brief, we should educate parents on how much time per day children should spend on these electronic devices. Also, when children are older, we should educate children on the impact of screens and social media.

Article sources:

CROSS, Jennifer. What Does Too Much Screen Time Do to Children's Brains, (site consulted on 2021-10-02), [online], https://healthmatters.nyp.org/what-does-too-much-screen-time-do-to-childrens-brains/

Image source:

Screen Time Might Not be As 'Toxic' for Kids as You Think, (site consulted on 2021-10-02), [online],https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.4157062.1584895943!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_1020/image.jpg