Excessive Screen Time for Kids: Good or Bad?

 

Excessive Screen Time for Kids: Good or Bad?

In modern times, parents are using YouTube videos on their phones to ensure that their children stay seated in one place. Children are facing eyesight issues due to prolonged use of screen time. It's important to set limits on screen time and encourage kids to take regular breaks to rest their eyes. According to new research, technoference is real. Toddlers exposed to more screen time have fewer conversations or interactions with their parents or caregivers. These kids say less and hear less. Excessive screen time may inhibit a child's ability to observe and experience typical everyday activities to learn about the world. Excessive screen time can affect emotional growth, rise in obesity, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, and poor academic performance. Parental controls can help parents reduce screen time for their kids and can control the content their kids watch. Studies have shown that 83.2% of secondary school children spend more than two hours on screens daily.

To tackle these concerns, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics has issued guidelines for screen time use for children. Those below two years old should not be exposed to any digital screen except for occasional video calls with relatives. Children aged two to five years should limit screen time to one hour, with less time being preferable for those six years old and above. 

Finding a balance between screen time and physical activities is crucial for the overall well-being of kids. To solve this issue, caregivers must prioritize educational content suitable for a child's overall development. There must be screen-free zones in bedrooms and dining areas. Children enjoy telling stories but need good listeners. In cases of children, the use of technology must be done carefully.

Youngna Park is the head of products at Tinybop where she builds fun learning apps for kids.

"Aajibai Jorat" is an AI-based fantasy-comedy play that focuses on the effects of using too much screen time on children. This is the first AI Marathi play started in 2024, written and directed by Kshitij Patwardhan. This play is an interesting method of giving a message to the parents and kids at the same place. This play provides information about the importance of outdoor activities and indoor board games for children. Giving such important messages to children and parents through entertaining mediums is another way of solving these issues. These days, kids easily cry and get aggressive if parents do not listen to their wishes. Even changing their favorite cartoon channel can get them pissed off. Playing outdoor games and puzzles can result in their brain's development. 

The future of our world lies in the hands of our children. They should thrive through acquiring new skills and knowledge, not be hindered by health issues. Caregivers, guardians, or parents to imbibe good habits in children for their bright future. Parents must talk to their kids about how they dealt with problems in their childhood. Effective communication is the fundamental key to bridging the gap between two diverse generations.