There’s constant discussion in my own home about allowable screen time. My wife and I agree that our kids need outdoor time, and using the 1,000 Hours Outside app, we’re already nearing 600 hours in the sun with nearly half of the year still remaining.
While we prescribe to an active outdoor life, our children still have access to gaming consoles, TVs, and tablets. While we often limit the time they spend on those devices, there are not necessarily stringent rules for how long our kids can always spend in front of a screen.
It turns out that following an overly strict regiment might not be the answer. Leading pediatrician Dr. Michael Rich has spent years researching the connection between children and screen time, and their new book “The Mediatrician’s Guide: A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, Kind Kids in a Screen-Saturated World” addresses how to manage screen time healthily.
Dr. Rich Is A Highly Respected Pediatrician
Dr. Rich has spent years working with children. His job function consists of both work as a doctor and a researcher. His book draws from his work as the founder and director of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders.
The doctor’s background is impressive, according to his biography on the Digital Wellness Lab website:
[Dr. Rich has] more than 50 peer-reviewed research papers, and 40 book chapters, research reports, and pediatric practice policies have been authored by Dr. Rich. He has written policy statements on media and child health for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and testified on the scientific findings about media effects on child development and health to state legislatures, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Congress.
The Impact Of Screen Time On Children
It likely won’t come as a surprise that according to Axios, Dr. Rich’s research has shown several adverse effects that long screen time sessions can have on children. Most notably, children who don’t have managed screen time can suffer from sleeping disorders along with cognitive and emotional development issues.
It may not even be the actual act of having screen time that profoundly affects a child’s development. Instead, Dr. Rich notes that children can lose out on fact-to-face social interactions and lack proper exercise if they are not engaged outside of their screens.
Screen Time Isn’t Necessarily Detrimental
While excessive screen time can have negative effects, Dr. Rich notes that parents should aim to help their children find a balance. The doctor’s suggestions are simple to employ.
- Set a clear screen time limit.
- Encourage your children to play outdoors.
- Find activities that children can engage in without screens.
It’s not just about setting time limits but also being active in the media your child is viewing. Dr. Rich believes parents can help children develop critical thinking skills by helping their children make positive media decisions when engaged in screen time.
In our household, we speak candidly with our children about the types of websites they visit and apps they use on their tablets, computers, and other devices. If mindless YouTube browsing or other apps are being overused, we’ll often set time limits on certain portals and explain to our children why they can’t spend all of their free time on those destinations.
At the end of the day, providing our children with a well-rounded set of experiences may be far more critical than micro-managing their screen time down to the minute.
