Let’s face it: when you have toddlers, screen time can be a lifesaver.
We’ve all been there before: when cooking dinner, packing for a trip, writing an email or making a phone call – turning on their favorite show can make it all possible.
A click of the remote, and, as if by magic, that long-awaited silence finally sets in.
When my son was two and my daughter was a newborn, I began to use screen time more and more.
He would watch Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood while I would put her down for nap, then I would watch it with him, enjoying a respite in the course of a long and busy day. When he would wake up extra early on a weekend, he would come into bed with us and watch cartoons while me and my husband took in some precious sleep.
As my daughter got a little older, she joined her brother in front of the screen and it became a part of their daily routine – an hour of TV in the afternoon, while I made dinner. I assumed as long as the shows that my kids watched were age-appropriate and educational, screen time wasn’t as harmful.
I chose the ignore the signs for a while. Turning off the screen was often accompanied by tears and screams of protest, hitting, and running up to his room and slamming the door. Around the time my son turned five, his outbursts became more frequent, especially after watching a show, but also at random times of the day.
My husband and I decided to limit screen time as more of a disciplinary action –a consequence for hitting and misbehaving. It turns out, too much screen time may have been one of the major contributing factors to my son’s behavior.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s site, screen time may contribute to a child’s, “emotional, social and attention problems,” among a host of other issues. Most importantly, screen time leaves less time for “active, creative play,” which is so crucial for children’s development.
Not only are children’s brains affected by too much screen time, but their bodies, too. Sitting still for prolonged periods of time is unnatural and unhealthy for anyone, but especially for young kids, and it affects their “physical, mental health and wellbeing,” according to the World Health Organization.
As we limited screen time, I began to realize that it was more of a crutch for me, to get stuff done or to get some peace and quiet. The funny thing is, I needed it just as much or more than the kids. Now, I’m having my own withdrawals from kids’ TV time, as I’m learning to cook over the noise and constant interruptions. My son and daughter, meanwhile, will sometimes ask to watch a show, but if the answer is “no,” will eventually find something else to do.
We all know it’s very hard to cut screen time completely out of our children’s lives. And there are lots of quality shows that my son and daughter have learned a lot from, like songs and fun facts about animals. Often, my kids play pretend games based on what they just saw.
For the time being, knowing my son’s sensitivity to screen time, I’m trying to limit it as much as I can.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, watching a show with your child is more beneficial for them than watching it on their own. So, when I do turn on the TV once every few days, I sometimes sit down to watch it with my kids. It gives us something to talk about after the show.
Here is a list of our favorite shows :
Alexandra (Sasha) Schwank 