My instinct is to blurt out the guidelines of the American Association of Pediatrics: no screen time under two years old, and less than two hours per day for older kids. And that means all screen activity: television, working on a computer, playing video games, instant messaging on a phone.
But "two hours every day, end of story" is not the answer people want to hear. It's not a solution; it's just the beginning of more problems. I admit I've said this in the past only to see the pain in a parent's eyes as they foresee the battles required to enforce it.
Some experts now say that in our hyperconnected world, limiting screen time is no longer realistic. Instead, they suggest, we should focus on what to show our kids.
Recent research by Cambridge University found that too much screen time is associated with lower academic grades. It can also lead to developmental issues, such as obesity, sleep disorders and attention problems.
Kids need a balanced diet of interaction with the world. You probably wouldn't allow your children to eat ice-cream all day, even if it was the ultimate in organic-low-fat-low-sugar healthy goodness. It wouldn't give them the nutrition they need. Like junk food, a life immersed in digital media can be highly addictive. And just as with a nourishing diet, kids also need a balance between digital and physical realities. This is as important for development as good nutrition.
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