Too much screen time is one of the major battles I fight with my kids. I think our generation of parents is the first generation of parents to fight the battle of excessive screen time with kids. Kids today are up-to-date with the latest happenings, trends, events and news courtesy of the technological explosion. Smartphones, computers and other electronic gadgets have become the order of the day for education, entertainment and communication. These advances in technology are not without their shortcomings. In terms of communication today, there are drastic changes in the pattern of communication and a deeper look into it shows that technology is subtly destroying the pattern of face to face interaction for adults. For kids, we are raising a generation of kids who are limited to screens and lack the ability to engage in real-time interaction. This steals their chance to experience the everyday social activities that they need to engage in to learn and grow. 

Technology has come to stay and the roles it’s playing in our lives today are undeniable but just as the maxim says “too much of everything is bad”. Research says too much screen time could cause the following

Behavioural Problems

Research has shown that spending too much time on the screen could affect behaviour. Children who stare at the screen for more than two hours are likely to develop emotional and attention problems.

Stifle creative thinking

When kids spend too much time on screens, other physical activities like drawing, crafting and reading that stimulate creativity and critical thinking take a backseat.

Loss of social skills

When kids become addicted to screen, they find it difficult to interact and function in groups and lack the  social skills necessary to develop into well-rounded adults because of their limited face to face contact with people.

Obesity

In most cases, the number of time spent on an electronic screen is directly equal to the number of time spent sitting down. This sedentary nature increases the risk of becoming obese.

Sleep problems

Sleep deprivation is a major problem caused by excessive screen time and it is even most detrimental to kids. Your child needs an average of 10-12 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night for proper growth and development and screen in the bedroom can trim off hours from that. The screen light often interferes with sleep cycle which eventually leads to insomnia

Violence

Exposure to violent scenes in movies and video games can translate to aggression. When kids spend time playing violent or watching aggressive scenes in movies, they may end up resorting to aggression to solve problems.

If your child is spending long hours on screens, consider setting clear rules and ensure they stick to them. Have a reward and punishment system to foster cooperation if need be and find a way to infuse some off-screen activities (See 6 Off-Screen Activities For Kids) to help them relate with the environment and focus on physical activities.