The Case Against Screen Time

“There is growing research that backs what most parents already know, too much screen time for your kids can be detrimental to them. I thought this was a good article on this subject.”

A growing body of research suggests that too much screen time in childhood hampers brain development, most recently a small study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that among kids 3 to 5 years old, those who spent more than one hour a day in front of an electronic device had lower levels of brain development in regions that support language and self-regulation than those who interacted with screens for less time.

Protect growing minds and set children up for smarter screen habits down the line by following these recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Avoid use of digital media for kids younger than 18 months.
• Limit screen use to one hour or less for kids 2 to 5, and choose high-quality educational programming, when possible, watch with them so they understand what they’re seeing and learn to apply it to the world around them.
• Designate media-free times together and screen-free zones in the home, such as children’s bedrooms.