Mommy Talk: TV Watching among Kids Decline, Shifts to Mobile devices?
When we were younger, in a distant time when kids were less cooler, I know a lot of us will agree, that TV is life. TV immediately when we wake up and TV right before going to bed.
Kids were glued to the tube for decades, from cartoons early morning until night. That also goes without saying that study after study, researchers have warned us of the harmful effects of watching too much TV.
Taking a look at my own children, co-incindentally living in this digital age, screens are on their hands now, much literally. While it's true that according to this MediaPost article, that there is a big decline in TV viewing in kids, for sure kids are now spending time, or too much time, watching on mobile devices.
Lately, I have a growing feeling of worry over my children's too much exposure on mobile devices. Now that my daughter is in school already, I am more particular with my son, who is barely in his terrible two's.
In his age, he already knows how to skip an ad and click videos on YouTube. (I didn't even know what a floppy disk was until I was in 5th grade!) All the while he swipes and sits like a don, neck bent down on Spider-man or Elmo on YouTube.
In my observation, he (has somehow):
- developed "addiction" because the moment he wakes up and sees our smartphones or iPad, he would cry and insist to watch
- cries over simple things he does not get
- became more irritable
- gets disappointed by slow internet speed (talk about techno stress)
In my observation, he (has somehow):
- developed "addiction" because the moment he wakes up and sees our smartphones or iPad, he would cry and insist to watch
- cries over simple things he does not get
- became more irritable
- gets disappointed by slow internet speed (talk about techno stress)
Of course, we, parents are mostly to blame. Thinking it is for educational purposes that we shared our mobile devices with him, letting him hear and watch nursery rhymes on YouTube to giving them out immediately to pacify while we get our things done.
Much like this Pediatrics study published in 2015. It aimed to examine young children's exposure to and use of mobile devices and the pervasive nature of their use in households. And true enough, they found that early adoption of mobile devices in children happen as early as less than two years old. What they found parents are circumstances in which they let children use mobile device:
- 70% to do chores
- 65% to keep them calm in public places
- 58% to run errands
- 28% to put them to sleep
And while we there are reasons why we allow them to use these devices, we should also be thinking what the long-term effects are, the impact on their development. There needs to be more studies to be conducted to measure and conclude these effects. There also needs to be some sort of regulation by the government/authority over these contents freely available for children. For now, we try to moderate their use. Here are some suggestions we do as a family:
1. Set rules on time of use and should be implemented by all members of the family to our kids.
This is important when we are not around at home and they are most of the time left with help or relatives. It is important that they are involved in implementing these rules so my kids know it's not only us and that they need to follow even when we are not around.
2. That said, involve everyone at home, especially those taking care of them.
Kids are smart and they think just because they're not the parents, they can try to evade other's rules. Telling my kids they should listen to them makes my children feel they also have the "authority" to call their attention.
3. Make it the last priority, first things first.
This mostly applies to my daughter. Strictly, we tell her to complete her school work upon getting home before doing something else, playing or watching on her iPad. Not only that it practices her discipline, but also prioritization, that could help her as she get older. Priorities, priorities.
4. Let them cry.
As for our baby boy, we let him cry. If he doesn't get what he wants, then be it. He could only cry for a while and be diverted by his dino toys or toy car. He has totally forgotten he was crying for the iPad.
5. Be the model.
Well, this is the hardest part a parent. Personally, I struggle to limit my own exposure to my iPhone. I check work emails from time to time, I am on social media while on transport, I use my phone as a replacement to reading a newspaper in the toilet, I use it before buying something, I use it to remind me of things to do, and all other things. Even I look for my phone the moment I wake up - to snooze the alarm. So it is hard to be the model for your child if you struggle yourself. But little by little, I get by when I think it's for my children.
What about you - do you have some tips to share or any related experience?
Much like this Pediatrics study published in 2015. It aimed to examine young children's exposure to and use of mobile devices and the pervasive nature of their use in households. And true enough, they found that early adoption of mobile devices in children happen as early as less than two years old. What they found parents are circumstances in which they let children use mobile device:
- 70% to do chores
- 65% to keep them calm in public places
- 58% to run errands
- 28% to put them to sleep
And while we there are reasons why we allow them to use these devices, we should also be thinking what the long-term effects are, the impact on their development. There needs to be more studies to be conducted to measure and conclude these effects. There also needs to be some sort of regulation by the government/authority over these contents freely available for children. For now, we try to moderate their use. Here are some suggestions we do as a family:
1. Set rules on time of use and should be implemented by all members of the family to our kids.
This is important when we are not around at home and they are most of the time left with help or relatives. It is important that they are involved in implementing these rules so my kids know it's not only us and that they need to follow even when we are not around.
2. That said, involve everyone at home, especially those taking care of them.
Kids are smart and they think just because they're not the parents, they can try to evade other's rules. Telling my kids they should listen to them makes my children feel they also have the "authority" to call their attention.
3. Make it the last priority, first things first.
This mostly applies to my daughter. Strictly, we tell her to complete her school work upon getting home before doing something else, playing or watching on her iPad. Not only that it practices her discipline, but also prioritization, that could help her as she get older. Priorities, priorities.
4. Let them cry.
As for our baby boy, we let him cry. If he doesn't get what he wants, then be it. He could only cry for a while and be diverted by his dino toys or toy car. He has totally forgotten he was crying for the iPad.
5. Be the model.
Well, this is the hardest part a parent. Personally, I struggle to limit my own exposure to my iPhone. I check work emails from time to time, I am on social media while on transport, I use my phone as a replacement to reading a newspaper in the toilet, I use it before buying something, I use it to remind me of things to do, and all other things. Even I look for my phone the moment I wake up - to snooze the alarm. So it is hard to be the model for your child if you struggle yourself. But little by little, I get by when I think it's for my children.
What about you - do you have some tips to share or any related experience?
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