Does it really matter how many hours a day your child looks at a screen?

Does it Really Matter how Many Hours a Day your Child Looks at a Screen?

I remember while I was growing up that we were routinely told that watching too much TV would ‘give us square eyes.’

Even when the only screen we had was a TV (and only one in the house!) our parents knew even way back then that it wasn’t a great idea for us to be sitting in front of it all the time.

And honestly, I only recall watching TV for a short period after school each day, maybe some cartoons on a Saturday morning. We played in the backyard, at the neighbours. I have very fond memories of watching my dad use his carpentry skills in the garage (he was a builder) or watching him fix his track and road bikes. Many conversations took place in the garage!

If I was bored, there was something to help mum with, toys to play with, musical instruments to practice and gymnastics training.

Kids find themselves at a loose end today and the first thing they do is gravitate towards a screen – be it the TV or another device. In today’s busy and stressful world, it is really easy as a parent to just be thankful for a bit of peace and some time to either relax or catchup on neglected tasks such as cleaning or work.

But while our children are whiling away their time in a sedentary position with their eyes glued to a screen, quietly, in the background, more issues are being created.

Emotional and Mental Effects of Too Much Screen Time

Affects the development of the brains frontal cortex
Social Interactions – such as learning eye contact and taking part in conversations
Children can become irritated when they are distracted from using their device
Their circle of friends may begin to decrease as they choose the device over participating in activities with friends
Lowers their attention capacity, their ability to focus and even build their vocabulary
Distracts them study time
Affects family interactions and relationships and weakens emotional bonds
It greatly increases the chance of them being exposed to inappropriate content, communicating online with strangers and seeking validation by constantly checking the number of ‘likes’ their post has received.
They stand more chance of affecting their digital footprint

Related Reading:

Screen Time Routines

Tips to Maintaining Healthy Screen Time Use Over the Holidays

Screen Time Tickets

Find the right Screen Time Formula for your Family

Physical Effects of Too Much Screen Time

Sore and dry eyes
Headaches
Sore necks and shoulders from bad posture
Poor muscles in hands and fingers creating issues with fine motor skills
Sore wrists from keyboards, gaming, tapping and swiping

Australian Guidelines for Screen Time

Children aged 5-18 years should have no more than an accumulated time of 2 hours of entertainment per day (excludes educational uses)
Children under 2 should not spend any time watching TV or any other screens
Children aged 2-5 should have no more than 1 hours screen time per day

What some things that parents can do to Manage Screen Time?

Find the right balance for your child and family
Create family rules for device use
No devices during mealtimes
Set an example
Encourage breaks
Be mindful of the content they are viewing. It is educational or entertainment?
Identify other activites that don’t include screens

Doors Now Open!

Jump Up Outdoors is a unique program that gets kids playing outdoors, away from screens and having fun.

We provide enticing outdoor play environments, with a wide variety of upcycled loose materials and then the children do what they do best…play! The result is hours and hours of unstructured play in which children imagine, create, develop their interests and passions and follow their instincts.

Jump Up Outdoors programs have been developed by a paediatric occupational therapist with over 25 years experience.

Does it really matter how many hours a day your child looks at a screen?