As a parent, how much screen time is one of the questions that you would ask yourself especially if you had just watched or read something pertaining to this. This was not a real issue for our parents. The answer is: It depends on you as a parent and what your personal thoughts are on this. At least it should be.
My husband pointed out that this is very difficult especially for him being an IT professional. David spends most of his waking hours in front of one screen or another at work, at home, etc. I have asked him multiple times how he can concentrate watching something on TV (news, YOUTUBE video, etc.) while listening to a lecture on his laptop and checking emails on his phone! Drives me nuts because I cannot concentrate with so many distractions. Do you know what is even crazier than that? He usually has his lectures, or book, or both sped up to 1.5/2x as fast as they normally are! On more than one occasion he has had me sit by him and try to listen to these things and I just can’t. They sound like the chipmunks speaking super-fast.
We have tried to limit screen time, and even be super strict on what our kids watch, when, where, etc. There were many tears, and arguments with the kids about this especially as they get older. Then there is also the headache for me to encourage my kids to do something other than trying to talk me into giving them some screen time. After trial and error, we have found that it is much easier to not be so strict, and here is why.
Like father like son
Gabriel is very much like his father and has an affinity for technology. As a toddler at about 17 months old, he already knew how to use my cellphone without ever being exposed to it. By this I mean, I kept it away from him. One day he had gotten access to my phone and all I noticed right away was that he had taken a few pictures of his toy airplane. Turns out that not only had he taken a picture of his plane, but he had gotten onto Facebook, and changed my profile picture to the said plane photo. I discovered that the next morning and thought David did it.
A year later when I was putting him and his sister to bed after reading a book he said,” Look mommy” and showed me a picture of a suped-up Dodge Charger police car. I told him that is a nice car, but you are not supposed to be playing with your dad’s cellphone. This was a Droid pro with the little roller ball for scrolling. The next morning, David asked me if I was messing with him and I told him I did not know what he was talking about. Turns out Gabe had saved that picture onto his father’s phone and made it his screen saver!
It has really only been since we moved to NE Pennsylvania that they had much more screen time than usual, but that is because the weather is so bad over here. The kids get to watch what they want after they do everything they are supposed to do after school. If the weather is nice, they play outside and only get maybe 2 hours before going to bed.
Less screen time=more creativity
This is not really true. My daughter Lillian has the same time to access her computer or the television as her brother, but she prefers to play outside or do arts and crafts. There are times that she will feel like getting on her computer and watching cartoons or YOUTUBE videos, and we let her. Lily loves to watch DIY channels and try making things on her own, and she likes to share this with her father and me. There are times when the whole family will sit together and watch arts and crafts, gardening, fishing, etc. together and then try it afterward, like catch and cook shows.
Lots to learn
We are at a point in time that so much information is readily accessible to us at the tips of our fingers. Everything in our society is dependent on technology and just keeps on improving. David and I believe that It would be a disservice to our kids to hinder them by not letting them have access to technology. We are very aware that there is also a lot of information that we don’t want our kids to be exposed to, so we do our best to monitor/block what we can from them. Our kids know that if there is something, they come across that is disturbing to them, that they let us know right away, and that we will discuss this with them.
My kids a very bright and have their own strengths, but I could be very biased since they are my babies. They are very articulate and have some deep conversations with us about a wide array of topics. Gabe talks to his dad about stocks and investing, space, philosophy, weather, etc. as well as gaming. Lily talks about science, cooking, arts & crafts, places she wants to go, and things she wants to do, as well as some very insightful things about people in general. David is an amazing father, that if his kids show some type of interest in a subject, he will show them videos, books, or even take them to a place related to this topic. Due to this, I think that it has helped them grow in the areas they are interested in.
Different Time
We are living in a different time, and things that we did as kids are completely different from what our kids can do now. All you have to do is look around you and see kids with tablets, cellphones, and more being used to entertain them during long trips, doctor visits, etc. It is a way of life for us at this time, can you imagine how different it will be when your child is your age? Think about it, since 1983 VHS, Cassette tapes, walkmans, etc. have become obsolete. Even home phones which everyone used to have, are rarely used now since people use cellphones and carry this with them at all times.
Common arguments:
1. Parents then and now, discouraged their kids from playing video games because it is a waste of time. Or you can’t make money off of it. Ninja makes $500k a month.
2. Watching too much tv is bad for you because of too much violence. (mainly news channels)
3. The internet is dangerous because of the bad people you can meet, and other bad things you can learn…
Yes, the above can be a big issue, but there are ways to help your kids get past the bad stuff, and even make money doing it. The best way to do this is by communicating with your child and helping them understand your concerns.
So Much Potential!
Did you know that video games are now Esport? Did you know that at this time more people are making a living playing video game than ever? They don’t even have to be in a league! They are using YouTube and Twitch! People are using the internet to research the value of things (stamps, antiques, etc.) and selling them on eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Pinterest, WordPress, Craigslist and so many more platforms.
Kids are becoming millionaires younger and younger because they have the technology to help them as well as parents that see potential. Take Ryan’s ToyReview, Toys AndMe are some of the very popular ones with Ryan being the highest-paid YouTuber at this time. Then there are kids that are making money by creating their own apps. Robert Nay for example was only 14 when he came up with Bubble Ball in 2010, and has continued to develop games under Nay Games.
Besides toy reviews, app development, and multiple platforms to sell things, people of all ages are using technology to build their own brands, and have very unique careers from how they used to be. These opportunities are out there for people who can see the potential and pursue it.
What do you think?
So back to the question of how much is too much screen time? Only you as a parent know whether it is too much or not because you spend time with your child. I admit that when we were younger I kept thinking that the kids should only have maybe 1 hour a day and that was just cartoons, but now that they are older it is different. As long as they are getting exercise, time with their friends to socialize, and all chores and homework is done, 1-2 hours a weekday is fine to us.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic though and things that your kids watch or do online. Please feel free to comment below.
