Posted in 21st Century life, 21st Century parenting, digital devices, digital life, media diet, parents and technology

Screen Time: Myths & Facts (and More)

Screen Shot 2016-03-03 at 7.44.51 PMCheck out a cool infographic over at Tuned in Parents that addresses many screen time questions. The image was created using information from a broad array of evidence-based research conducted by organizations such as Common Sense Media, The American Academy of Pediatrics, Zero to Three, PBS, and a number of research sources, and the infographic addresses many of the questions that parents continuously mull over.

Screen time is for many of us is a conundrum. Most parents and teachers (and grandparents, too) wonder just how to balance the time children spend with screens. Our goal, after all, is to create digital wellness for our children and ourselves — a sometimes lofty goal.

We have many questions including:Screen Shot 2016-03-03 at 7.44.39 PM

  • Does school work count as screen time?
  • Is too much screen time causing problems for my child?
  • How many hours a day?
  • Is screen time harmful to my toddlers and pre-schoolers?
  • When is the right time to get my child a mobile device?
  • How much should I insist upon knowing about my children’s mobile devices?
  • What about sleep?
  • Should my child use digital devices in the bedroom?

Screen Shot 2016-03-04 at 10.33.51 AMThe infographic, which includes links back to the various research reports, can be a way to get started thinking about what is the right answer for you and your family. It can also be useful for teachers and administrators to use as a visual prop or reference.

The biggest disadvantage of a great infographic is the difficulty getting a huge and usually long file off the web to serve as a strong visual reminder on a bulletin board or door. There are ways to print infographics, with various degrees of success, but one hopes that when a website posts an excellent resource available for its readers, the material can be accompanied by suggestions that help parents make non-digital copies for the refrigerator or bulletin board.

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