Wow, its been a while since I posted. The holidays and a broken bone in my hand have slowed down my posting. Let's get back to it!We've all seen it, and in fact, we may have done it ourselves. Sitting in a restaurant waiting for the food and the 2-year-old is getting antsy, so Mom hands over her smart phone to entertain the toddler. Harmless, right?
Maybe not, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children under two years of age, they say, “learn best by interacting with people, not screens.”
In Japan, where cell phone use is even more pervasive than in the U.S., the Japan Pediatric Association is so concerned about cell phone and other digital advice use by toddlers that they have begun an advertising campaign to education parents.
“When children become upset, many
parents give them a smartphone to keep them quiet,” JPA’s executive director,Hiromi Utsumi, told The Japan News. “But if parents do this, they have fewer chances to
communicate through pacifying their babies while watching how they react.”
So, are we parents using digital devices so we can ignore our kids while we finish a meal in a restaurant? I'd say, sometimes we are. So what should a parent do when a fussy toddler interrupts a dinner out? What did our parents do?
I'm not going to go all John Rosemond and tell you that kids should be seen and not heard. I do think, though, that parents should have a plan if they are going to take a toddler out to eat. Bring crayons, small toys, favorite lovies. Also, expect to be interacting with your toddler during the meal. Expecting a young child to sit for an hour and a half while the adults talk is ridiculous.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has some suggestions on how to teach your kids to have healthy interactions with digital devices:
·
Parents can model effective “media diets” to help their children learn
to be selective and healthy in what they consume. Take an active role in
children’s media education by co-viewing programs with them and discussing
values. In other words, if you spend all of dinner time texting on your cell phone, your kids will, too.
·
Make a media use plan, including mealtime and bedtime curfews for media
devices. Screens should be kept out of kids’ bedrooms.
· Limit entertainment screen time to less than
one or two hours per day; in children under 2, discourage screen media exposure.What do you think? Are smart phones okay for keeping toddlers quiet? Or should they be "Mommy's Toy" only?
Managing Media: We Need a Plan
10/28/2013American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidance on managing children’s and adolescents’ media use
While media by itself is not the leading cause of any health problem in the U.S., it can contribute to numerous health risks. At the same time, kids can learn many positive things from pro-social media.
“A healthy approach to children’s media use should both minimize potential health risks and foster appropriate and positive media use—in other words, it should promote a healthy ‘media diet’,” said Marjorie Hogan, MD, FAAP, co-author of the AAP policy. “Parents, educators and pediatricians should participate in media education, which means teaching children and adolescents how to make good choices in their media consumption .”
Dr. Hogan will describe the recommendations in the policy statement in a news briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET Oct. 28 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Reporters wishing to cover the briefing should first check in at the press room, W203B, for media credentials. The policy statement will be published online Oct. 28 in Pediatrics and will be included in the November 2013 issue of the journal. The policy statement replaces one issued in 2001.
The AAP advocates for better and more research about how media affects youth. Excessive media use has been associated with obesity, lack of sleep, school problems, aggression and other behavior issues. A recent study shows that the average 8- to 10-year-old spends nearly 8 hours a day with different media, and older children and teens spend more than 11 hours per day. Kids who have a TV in their bedroom spend more time with media. About 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds own cell phones, and nearly all teenagers use text messaging.
The amount of time spent with screens is one issue, and content is another. On the positive side, pro-social media not only can help children and teens learn facts, but it can also help teach empathy, racial and ethnic tolerance, and a whole range of interpersonal skills.
Pediatricians care about what kids are viewing, how much time they are spending with media, and privacy and safety issues with the Internet.
“For nearly three decades, the AAP has expressed concerns about the amount of time that children and teen-agers spend with media, and about some of the content they are viewing,” said Victor Strasburger, MD, FAAP, co-author of the report. “The digital age has only made these issues more pressing.”
The AAP policy statement offers recommendations for parents and pediatricians, including:
For Parents:
- Parents can model effective “media diets” to help their children learn to be selective and healthy in what they consume. Take an active role in children’s media education by co-viewing programs with them and discussing values.
- Make a media use plan, including mealtime and bedtime curfews for media devices. Screens should be kept out of kids’ bedrooms.
- Limit entertainment screen time to less than one or two hours per day; in children under 2, discourage screen media exposure.
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