Ixnay Screen Time

Before I go into my rant on television and young children, let me be very clear that I write this with ZERO condemnation. I am a parent who allows my 14 month old to watch a half-hour program almost every day. This post is intended to be purely informative and educational.

I am, however, going to clearly stress that if your child has more TV time than interactive language time with real live individuals, they WILL have a language delay.That's just the way it goes. So, yes, I am very passionate about this subject.

Let's play this out.  Your excitable 10 month old is running around, getting into cupboards, and screaming for your attention. You need to shower, do five loads of laundry, make breakfast, clean up the dishes, and finish your Facebook stalking. So, you turn on the TV. What happens to your baby....they become the poster child for the newest baby ZOMBIE movie. They immediately get sucked into the lights and sound, yet are unable to process the fast pace of what is actually happening in the program. 

How much screen time is your child exposed to each day? This includes both shows geared towards children and shows that you have on for your own enjoyment...be honest.  You'd be surprised how many families don't realize how much television/computer/iPhone time  their baby/toddler is exposed to during the day. Most families understand,even less, how little children are able to pick up from TV shows before two years of age.

Within the first year of life, children's brains TRIPPLE in mass! 3Xs! The majority of that growth comes from  the building of their language. What we know, is that children can learn little to nothing from watching television prior to the age of two. Yet, surveys show that between 40-60% of families have the television on most of the day.

So how do they learn language if not from television? The only way they learn is from the world around them, from play, from interactions with live people playing out life circumstance, from YOU. Not from Elmo, Backyardigans, YoGabbaGabba, Dora, or Cat in the Hat; from YOU.

What about attention? Studies have also shown that children who have consistent screen time also have difficulty with attention later in life. Has anyone heard of a rise in ADD/ADHD lately? I have!

"Well, the TV is only on for background noise". Studies also show that for every hour that a child under two years is exposed to screen time, they spend 50 minutes less interaction time with a parent. In our busy world, that is a sad realization.

There is no problem solving going on while watching TV, no creative play, no talking with others, no cause and effect (aside from turning the TV on and off), and no opportunity to watch your child grow. So press the off button. And if you MUST have it on sometimes, talk to your child about the program as they watch it. Name the characters, talk about what they are doing, what they are saying, what they are learning.

We all want to raise intelligent, patient, kind, social, and mindful children. So, do your part as the parent and lead by example.

Thank You.

Sarahv