In the era of digital information and technology, it is not surprising that children of this generation are exposed to more screens than ever before. The accessibility of technology to younglings is unprecedented as even education is incorporating the use of digital tools to enhance learning experiences in the classroom. Undeniably, technology holds endless benefits for the users.
Digital tools, machinery, computers, and many more electronics are able to speed up, simplify, enhance, improve, and refine everyday tasks and processes. Even teachers can’t deny that with the use of computers and gadgets, ordinary teaching and learning is transformed into extraordinary ones.
Despite the advantages technology has to offer, it should be known that excessive use of technology will cause permanent and long-lasting physical and psychological effects to the user. Especially to children, unlimited access to electronic devices and gadgets such as the television will lead to serious repercussions in their early cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
One of the most discussed topics among early childhood experts is screen time, which is the amount of time a child is exposed to electronic screens such as smart tablets, smartphones, televisions, and computers. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) claims that children under a year old should not be exposed to digital screens at all, whereas children between the ages of two to five years old should only be given one hour of exposure to the screens.
Looking around us, you might feel like most parents are not adhering to WHO’s guidelines. As a parent yourself, you might recall that time when your child was throwing a fit at the restaurant and you had to resort to good old Mr. Youtube as a means of pacifying your child. Let’s be honest, almost all of us have done it to children because things get out of hand from time to time and smartphones seem to be the only effective solution.
Here I am to tell you that this should not be the new normal among parents as children who have grown used to the screen will suffer detrimental effects later on in life which are:
Laziness and Obesity
Studies have linked the cause of childhood obesity to excessive amount of screen time. Watching the television, for instance, is a form of sedentary activity in which too much of it will cause an imbalance in the amount of energy a child puts in his/her body versus the amount that is used by the child. The simple fact is that if we consume more food or calories than we burn, it will obviously lead to weight gain. Well, ladies and gentlemen, moms and dads, this too applies to children who are not participating in active, physical activities when they are glued to the screen.
Sleep Problems
Children who have unlimited access to digital gadgets and screens will postpone bedtime as long as they could. Don’t act surprised as we adults do it too. That feeling when you can seem to put your phone down and go to sleep when you are supposed to – well, children will obviously experience the same problem. Sleep deprivation among children will affect their focus in school, therefore, disrupt their learning progress and will feel unmotivated, unwilling, and too tired to take part in the various activities in and out of school.
Negative Influence
Knowing the goodness that technology can offer is just as important as knowing the dangers that technology impose to young children. As opposed to adults, children lack the awareness and knowledge to understand what programmes, shows, films, and videos that they should not be watching at a very young age. Unknowingly, television shows can depict violence, sexual content, or in general send the wrong message or give negative influences to your child. This sort of negative information will mold and shape the behaviour of your child which is why parents should always be around to supervise what their child is watching, even if it is for a short amount of time.
Vision Problems
Screens of computers, electronic devices, and the television can affect your child’s eyes in many different ways. It has been shown that when our eyes are exposed to long periods of screen time, we blink less which will lead to dry eyes. Nearsightedness is also an issue that will complement too much screen time. This is due to the limited exposure to natural daylight which is deemed critical for children’s eye health. Eye problems are some of the permanent effects of excessive screen time and you would not want your child to be needing glasses at three years old, trust me.
How to Limit Screen Time?
If this is an issue that has been going on for quite some time within your household, it is not too late to act now. To reduce screen time is to set a schedule and determine which hours of the day in which your child is allowed to have access to the television and devices. Another good idea is to invest in educational toys that will permanently replace the screens such as the Alfa and Friends’ Spark kit. The Spark kit provides your child with materials to carry out a science experiment at home and comes with a STEM comic book that will surely be an excellent substitute for the iPad when it comes to edutainment.
Just remember that children only resort to screens whenever there is a lack of resources to fill in their free time – try to encourage your child to enroll in weekend classes or activities such as painting or martial arts class on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure your child’s extra time is not wasted on screens.
