How much time do you spend in front of a screen?
Or rather how much time does your child spend in front of the screen?
I am no angel, I know I can be looking at my phone a lot. If it’s not my phone, it could be a tablet. That’s blogging for you! I want to read on my reader, or check notifications from other sites too,
When I am writing it is the PC or my Surface screen that faces me.
At work, I need my iPad for observations. Then there is all the rest of the work that requires the computer.
I come home, and after the fun and games of kids homework (usually more screen time as we research for projects, or use various online homework sites), and their bath and bed time, we settle with a (real) book for a story.
Then I will probably tune into the television screen, watching whatever takes my fancy, or use it as background noise as I blog…
Bedtime means time to relax with a book… again a screen, as I now tend to use my Kindle…
Wow! That’s a lot of screen time!
The kids, though I encourage them to be physical or creative, as much as possible, still seem to use screens a lot.
From the checking of his phone for friend’s messages, to playing games on his tablet, Lil Man sees various screens in the day too. He needs to use them for school and at homework time, and again the relaxation from watching TV is there too.
And Lil Princess loves to check out her YouTube subscribed channels in the morning, then watches various videos when she has time. The telly is inevitably on in the background too…
But, they do clubs where they get outside and run around, they go to the park, they both love to read, and write.
I try really hard to not allow a screen to become an electronic babysitter, as I fear many parents end up resorting to. Sometimes it is unavoidable, the easiest solution while you are rushing around doing other things, or if you are feeling under the weather and can’t cope with bickering off-spring. Believe me, I have definitely shoved a film on plenty of times to have peace… (Though deciding which one is painful as they both have different tastes!)
But, at least my two are able to talk, and run, and to all sorts of other things, besides being experts at swiping screens, and clicking a mouse!
Some children I encounter on a daily basis through work are so young, and the curse of the electronic babysitter has hit already. These kids can barely talk because at home, instead of conversations, they get given a phone or tablet to keep them busy. When a piece of paper is put in front of them, they cannot use pencils or pens, using a fingertip to swipe across it, and sit bewildered when nothing happens.
Of course the other thing is that you can’t always control what they watch. I know it is suggested that an adult be near or with a child while on the computer, or using any devices, but it isn’t always practical. If they are watching a fairly innocent cartoon on YouTube, you never know what could follow on, or what your child may click on to watch next, taking you to all manner of inappropriate sites.
I have a child in my class now who repeatedly appeared to use the F-word when he was frustrated. He doesn’t even have English as a first language. Bear in mind, he’s 3. His parents are really lovely, cultured and well educated, and were horrified to hear this. When we spoke, she said that he doesn’t hear anything like that at home… but upon questioning what he watches on TV or on the iPad, she started to think. It could be something he picked up from a video he watches (alongside turning every toy into a gun, and imitating the sounds pretty realistically, oh and you should see his acting if he gets ‘shot’! Oscar worthy!)
See? Electronic babysitters… You can’t get references for them, you know, unless you are a vigilant parent with all the parental controls turned on!
Ok, soap box stepped off… Next!
But I Smile Anyway... 