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Media content can be useful in raising children - how many educational and entertaining cartoons and games are available to children today. After all, a TV, phone, computer or tablet can sometimes help parents breathe a little while their child is engrossed in the screen. But uncontrolled passion for it, when games stretch on for hours, can be harmful. So how much screen time is recommended for children?
How does screen time affect your health?
Too much time on the computer or other screens can lead to negative consequences for a child’s health. Moreover, both physical and moral, and in the future will also influence socialization skills.
●Risk of obesity
Childhood obesity is a combination of several factors, including genetics and the environment. However, as Danish scientists have found, there is an inverse relationship between excessive screen time and metabolic rate. The more time children spend on gadgets, the worse their metabolic rates are. In the future, this can lead to obesity and even problems with the cardiovascular system.
●Irregular sleep
Again, numerous studies show that screen time can also influence the development of insomnia. Scientists have discovered a connection between these two factors. And insomnia, in turn, affects school performance.
●Psychological and behavioral problems
Excessive screen time can cause depression and anxiety disorders. In addition, socialization skills are impaired over time. There is no need to be tolerant with the screen or try to build a dialogue. But in personal communication, these are precisely the skills that are needed.
How much time should a child spend in front of a screen?
As observations show, children 8-10 years old can spend about six hours a day watching a screen. Considering the strain on the eyes and the decrease in physical activity, this time can easily be called excessive. Then how much screen time is acceptable for children of different ages?
It must be said that different experts look at this issue differently. However, in general the recommendations are quite similar. For example, the World Health Organization advises following these restrictions:
●Children under one year oldshould not spend time on screens at all
●Children under five years oldare recommended to use devices no more than one hour a day.
Russian experts give slightly more stringent recommendations. The All-Russian Society for the Development of School and University Medicine, together with the National Medical Research Center for Children's Health of the Russian Ministry of Health, determined the time frame as follows:
●a child under five years oldshould not spend time on screens at all
●children 6-8 years old - no more than 80 minutes a day, about 40 more minutes at school
●9-10 year old studentscan spend about 90 minutes on screens at home, and no more than 50 minutes in school classes
●a child aged 11-14it is recommended to allocate no more than 120 minutes for entertainment on the gadget, and up to 60 minutes a day for learning.
● Teenagers 14-16 years oldcan spend up to 170 minutes on a computer, a little less on a laptop or tablet, up to 150 minutes a day. For educational purposes, you can use screens for 70 to 80 minutes a day.
Parents have the right to independently determine how much time their child should spend with gadgets, based on the recommendations of experts.
How to reduce the time your child spends on screens?
The time that children spend with gadgets is often determined by family traditions. To change the amount of screen time, it is important to pay attention to your habits.
●Get rid of background television
We often turn on video content as if in the background while continuing to do household chores. At this time, the child is still looking at the screen. Therefore, it is better to get rid of such a habit in the family.
●Do not install TVs in the bedroom, do not store a computer or laptops in it
Children who have a TV or computer in the bedroom spend more time on screens. It is better to place them in common areas - this will make it easier to control what content the child watches.
●Don’t eat in front of a screen
Eating in front of a screen can easily be called mindless chewing. It can lead to problems with excess weight.
●Agree
Discuss the issue of limiting screen time with your child. Agree on how and when he will use gadgets like an adult.
●Fill the Blank
Do not take away your phone as punishment. Try, on the contrary, to fill the time with entertainment, useful activities and positive emotions even before the child wants to pick up a tablet or be glued to the TV.
The problem of excessive screen time is relatively recent. Many pediatricians still disagree on exactly how many hours a child should spend with gadgets. However, one thing is certain: live communication is much more useful for children than watching cartoons or computer games.