Home LearningScreen-time equals harm time?

Are you worried about your child’s screen time and its health impacts? You are right to do so.

In this modern digitalized era, every young and old, even infants, are highly exposed to electronic media. In today’s lifestyle where both parents are working, most times are crammed with hectic schedules. Time scarcity has compelled parents to engage their children with digital gadgets.

This exposure has inversely affected the child’s health. The birth of varied kinds of health issues and developmental delays seen in young kids has necessitated parents to improve their awareness about the detrimental effect of screen-time on young kids and take requisite steps accordingly. However, the pandemic attack has aroused inevitable extended screen time at home.

Are you still a little on the blind side about the effects of screen time on children! YES! You ought to read the rest to understand the same.

Why is screen- time a villain for your child’s development:

• Higher risk of reduced thinking/reasoning ability – The child’s thought process becomes limited to the 2D motion on-screen. In addition, the lack of life experiences curbs them to think, modify their thoughts and make decisions accordingly in different situations.
• Decrease in language development - A child learns better by a reciprocal conversation with real people around them instead of one-way interaction with the screen. Until you have a ‘Super Advanced Technology’ that makes meaningful conversation with your child, the screen-time actually inhibits their language learning ability.
• High risk of decreased concentration/attention level – A child gets so used to a different kind of entertainment media on screen that they get easily distracted and show lower attention levels. Now you know why Online Classes are not the best decision for your preschooler!
• Obesity – Kids habituated to digital screens, especially during mealtime, tend to miss out on signals to understand the feeling of fullness and end up eating more. Digital interaction also takes up the time for physical activities.
• Disturbed sleep pattern – The blue light exposure from e-media turns out in reduced sleeping hours. Tired eyes due to extended staring at the screen make them fall asleep at irregular times.
• Affecting emotional behavior – Reduced interaction with people cripples their social skills and results in lower empathy levels. Screen-time also causes mood problems like anxiety, frustration, and depression.
• Becoming physically inactive and lazy – Kids get so engrossed with their screen media that they end up spending long hours sitting or lying, and resulting in no time to play physically active games, making them couch potatoes.
• Higher risk of myopia – Undeniable effect of long screen-time is on eyes, outcoming in increased cases of myopia or near-sightedness among young kids. We certainly don’t want our kids to wear glasses at this young age.

Knowing the impacts, it is crucial to managing screen time for kids. Although, it is a challenging task with screen presence virtually everywhere.

Still wondering how else to engage your child to manage that gigantic ball of energy! We have some pointers for you.

• Avoid screen time during meals, try to limit maximum of 0.5-1Hr productive screen time for preschoolers.
• Preschoolers learn best from surrounding interactions and engaging in physically active games. Best way to release that energy ball is to involve them in various Gross and Fine Motor Activities.
• Children learn mostly through play. Unstructured playtime is more essentially valuable than learning from e-media to develop life lessons and creativity.
• Sensory Experiences are critical for holistic development during young age, therefore, try to involve your child in Multi-Sensory Games to facilitate learning through their senses.

If you are looking forward to having a productive time with your child that fits your busy schedule, then Totto Learning is at your rescue. We are here to empower parents like you with parenting knowledge,awareness about your children and provide you with tools for effective learning. All these with the motive to make possible your child’s holistic development through Zero Screen-time.