Parenting Content // Limiting Kid’s Screen Time*

Why it is Vital That a Parent Limit a Child’s Use of Technology

Technology is everywhere and there is certainly no stopping progress in our, “always wanting more,” society, but with younger and younger kids being given cell phones, it makes it seem as though parents are simply giving into the demands of their kids to make them happy. Parenting is not nor ever has it been about making kids happy. They come into this world not knowing anything. It is the parent’s job to ensure that the child learns about the world in the best way possible. We as parents have to do more to ensure that our children grow up to be productive members of society and not the mindless drones that always have their heads glued to their mobile devices. Limiting the amount of screen time that a child has on his or her device is important and they may get mad and say they hate you, but just note that it is all for the greater good and that someday they will thank you for your efforts even if they never actually say the words.

Eye Health
It used to be a relatively rare thing to see someone with glasses. True there was always one or two kids that had glasses in the class, but the vast majority of students did not have to worry about them. Those that did have to wear them likely had an actual medical issue with their eyes or just had a little trouble reading at a distance therefore had to primarily wear them during studying. Today we are seeing even very small children have to resort to the use of glasses. Still understandable, there are medical conditions that can cause this, but the over use of technology can also do its fair share of damage.

Too much screen time is not just about kids becoming mindless drones, it is about the stain that their eyes are under during the time they are using their devices. The strain comes from how the eyes focus. When a child is playing a game they are not having to focus their eyes on one general thing. The eyes are allowed to move around, but when they are focusing on a screen, the eyes do not move and therefore are forced to focus on one general areas and this is what puts severe strain on the eyes. Kid’s eyes are relatively new and should not be put under such strain at such a young age. They have to last them their whole lives and it is better to limit screen time than allow your child to diminish their ability to see properly, no matter how many times they may protest.

Enrich Creative Thought
The schools these days are taking out any sort of activity that is not deemed academically profitable. This means that the art, music, and many of the creative oriented programs that previous generations grew up enjoying are quickly disappearing. Kids today are not encouraged to think creatively at their schools and are instead are forced to simply drone away numbers and memorize facts that they will likely not use in the real world. We are creating a generation of people that are unable to come up with any form of abstract thought. The results of this are that the artists of the world who have the drive and ability to create amazing things are going to have their creative ability squashed before it has the ability to get out of the gate. Parents need to take it upon themselves to make their home the creative space the children crave and encourage them to create through real objects and not just draw pictures on their phones or create worlds in the many video games that are now available on practically any device.

Increase Family Time
The need for family time is becoming increasingly apparent. We as parents work so hard at jobs that we sometimes hate to provide for our kids that we rarely get time to see them. When we finally do make it home we are so unbelievably exhausted that we simply allow the children to do whatever they want on their devices so that we can find some form of relaxation. Every parent gets tired and at some point we will all use the kid’s devices as a means to keep them from getting on our nerves. There is no shame in doing this on occasion, but there needs to be a balance to where the device is not used all the time. Families need time together and that should not be limited to family vacations. Your kids are going to grow up quickly and sometimes it is better to push back your exhaustion and focus on the little people you have created by playing a board game or reading a book together.

The devices in our home should never outweigh the fact that families need each other. They can be used sometimes, but parents need to do a better job of keeping the time spent on them minimal. The kids may get mad that they are unable to chat with friends or claim that they are the only one without the latest device, but it  is ultimately the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the kids grow up learning and growing as they should instead of simply being glued to their devices.