As a child, I loved to watch television. As soon as I got home from school, I’d find my snuggly spot on the floor, in front of the tv, and watch my shows. Eventually, my mom would come in the room and protest that I was sitting too close to the screen. Hesitantly, I’d scooch back towards the couch, but I never understood her logic. Now I get it. Excessive and prolonged screen use of electronics can be harmful to kids, and to everyone for that matter.
As a children’s author, I’m constantly researching materials that are relevant to my books. I like to tackle social issues in particular because I feel these topics need to take precedence in raising the next generation of healthy, happy kids. Currently, I’m sourcing information about modern technology and how it affects kids and their families. The issue here seems to be about the excessive amount of time we (kids and adults) spend on our smartphone and other devices with screens. Furthermore, how much social interaction and quality family time is being lost while we are connecting with our devices.
According to studies, families, in general are interacting less with each other and more with their device of choice. In a child's life, the majority of their time is spent with the family and at school. So, with more and more schools incorporating computer-based programs into their curriculum, how much screen-time are kids actually getting? More specifically, how much of a child’s life is filled with social interaction?
For parents, you would think the obvious would be to restrict screen time. This is not realistic for a typical family though that relies on screen time as a “break” from the hectic scheduling of after school activities and homework time. Kids need a break after a full day of school and by the looks of it, the most common way to do this is with an electronic device-computer, music player, tablet, or video game.
However, kids may be “breaking” just a little too much. Today's children are spending an average of seven hours a day on entertainment media, including televisions, computers, phones and other electronic devices. (1)
Wow! That’s a lot of time spent looking at a screen. Not to mention the physiological problems that excessive screen use can induce: headaches, sleeplessness, attention problems, anxiety, depression and risk of obesity. (2)
Finding a solution for parents is not an easy fix. Like anything else in life, we need to lead by example. WE NEED TO SOMETIMES UNPLUG TOO!
Explaining to our kids that sometimes we just have to unplug in order to be healthier and showing them this IS the most effective approach. Also, the facts prove that limiting screen time will inevitably lower these risks of excessive use, on all of us. Having an awareness of this problem and noticing when to limit screen use may just possibly prevent the issue from progressing any further.
As for schools, there is a mainstream pressure to keep up with the technological progress of our society while still maintaining a responsibility to our children’s other needs.
Our teachers are the surrogate parents of our children and contemporary teachers have great demands placed on them as far as our kid’s educational, social, physiological and emotional needs. More and more kids are experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD and other mental health conditions and unfortunately the teachers are responsible for nurturing much of this throughout the day. Teachers sometimes spend more time with the kids than some parents do, so there is a responsibility here to the kids that goes beyond the requirements that teachers had in the past.I think the following quote describes best about what is needed in schools and how teachers can help: “With the growing numbers of screens being introduced into classrooms, the challenge for teachers is to maintain a balance between the physical and virtual worlds as well as to ensure that screens are being used in appropriate, meaningful and empowering ways.” (3)
How can teachers balance the use of screens in the classroom and make sure screen-use is meaningful and empowering?
Here’s a suggestion from Monica Burns (EdTech & Curriculum Consultant, Apple Distinguished Educator and Founder of ClassTechTips.com)
“Although the personalization of a student experience in a 1:1 environment is powerful, it's important that students don't lose those necessary moments of collaboration and critical thinking that come from working together with their peers. (4)
Sounds like a great idea! Balance of screen use in schools, that teachers can incorporate into their classrooms, sounds similar to the balance that parents can maintain at home by sometimes limiting screen use(including their own). Between the two, the new generation of kids will hopefully learn to be aware of their time on the screen, recognize when they have spent enough time using these devices and finally seek out another form of entertainment, resource or relaxation mode.
In a perfect world, our children will first read the book, then the e-book, and then hopefully everything else at this point won’t seem nearly as exciting or enriching to them.
Tracy Bryan is a self-published author for kids aged 4-12. She writes whimsical picture books about emotions, mental health, mindfulness and social issues.
Tracy’s debut fiction picture book called Put Away Your Phone! is now available on Amazon. This quirky and important tale about modern technology stars a little girl and her dislike for grown-ups who are always on their phone.
View the book trailer for Put Away Your Phone! here. To learn more about Tracy, please visit tracybryan.com
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- http://www.edutopia.org/blog/sharing-screen-in-1to1-classrooms-monica-burns
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