Helping our children to have balanced life is one of the most important jobs a parent has. I teach at a science and technology magnet school so the topic of screen time is near and dear to my heart. There is wonderful technology available today for educational and entertain uses but it is clear that many children spend too much time in front of screens. I only use technology in my classroom after I researched the value of it and the appropriate use of it. I have seen families that are showing DVDs in cars as early as 6:30 in the morning. My first thought is wouldn't it be better to chat with your child, sing songs or look for things along your drive. Parents and children have only so much time together and truly after the children are teenagers they really want to spend time with their peers rather than their parents. When we got our most recent van my children wanted a DVD player. Neither my husband or myself wanted that option. We believe the car is a great place for conversation after all as the kids grow it may be one of the few places you are all together. Children today seem to have poorer social skills than they did awhile ago. They anger easily and they are often unwilling to compromise on the other hand children who have conversations with adults and children have great verbal skills. They are problem solvers and best of all they can entertain themselves. The article below from Edutopia is a great resource and gives us all something to think about where screen time is concerned.
Putting Kids on a "Screen Time Diet" | Edutopia
As a parent of a teenager...I would also like to add that phone restrictions should be in place as well. The texting at all hours of the day and night. Etiquette rules on when is ok to text and when the phone should stay in your pocket. We have limits now because as much as they promise to keep it under control...their friends don't.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with both of you. I teach 2nd grade but I wonder how hard it is for middle and high school teachers and parents to manange cell phones and ipads. I also can't believe how much tv some little kids watch. (and what !) One of my second graders keeps talking about horror movies that he loves. In a writing piece recently he mentioned that he likes gun and that concerns me. What does all this tv and screen time do long-term to children's emotional and social skills?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Sarah, your post is so well written! Have you ever guest blogged before for anyone? Seems like you would be a great person to do so!