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The Dangers of Excessive Screening Time Chances are, your child owns at least one mobile device. Almost 50% of young children own their own tablet. Kids and screen time have become a rising concern for parents and caregivers, as children now spend as much as 6.5 hours looking at screens every day. Even young children, under 8, spend an average of 2 hours and 19 minutes of each day in front of a screen. This obsession with screens raises questions like: “Is that much screen time healthy for my child?” and “How do I know if my children are addicted to screens?” The dangers of screen time One family decided to do their own study to see just how screen time affected their kids and if they were addicted. After giving their kids 48 hours of unlimited screen time, the results were shocking. Their kids slept as little as six hours at night, and one child used multiple screens at once for an astounding, combined screen time of 46 hours. Excessive screen time in children can cause devastating and long-lasting effects. These can be as serious as speech delays, emotional instability, trouble sleeping, and poor social skills. Kids can become withdrawn and depressed and do poorly in school. They are at increased risk for obesity, and their relationships can suffer. Recognizing screen addiction The recommended amount of screen time for a child is only 1-2 hours a day. Kids are not good at self-regulating and the job of setting limits and boundaries is up to parents. Parenting a child addicted to video games and TV takes constant vigilance. Here are some screen addiction symptoms to look for that may indicate that your child is addicted to screens. ● If you have tried cutting back on their screen time and they were very resistant. ● If they are more interested in screen time than any other activities. ● If they only talk about things they see on their screens. ● If your child isn’t communicating and socializing because they want to bring a screen to every social gathering. ● If they get in a better mood when you allow them unlimited screen time. ● If they lie or try to deny their obsessive amount of screen time. If your child shows signs of these symptoms, they may have a screen addiction that you should address. Some children are affected more by screen. What parents can do to combat screen addiction? READ FULL ARTICLE www.kidguard.com
