In 2016, A Nielsen audience report found that most Americans actually do 10-11 hours of screen time. And it’s likely that number only increased, between Covid lockdowns and technology becoming an even more pervasive force in our lives.
Experts point to three areas where parents are finding it hard to follow the guidelines:
- First, Life Imitating Art
A viral TikTok video, posted in January 2023, shows the screen effect at work: a young boy juggles two devices, playing Minecraft on an iPad and swiping through short-form videos on a cell phone. The video emphasized the detrimental effects often wrought by overstimulation, like compromised attention span.
- Second, Screen Time’s Physical Implications
Excessive screen time in children leads to stunted cognitive and language skills. A single hour increase in TV exposure at two years of age corresponds to a 7% unit decrease in participation in class and a 6% unit decrease in math proficiency by the fourth grade. For all ages, extended screen time is directly correlated with obesity, sleep deprivation and reduced cognitive functioning.
- And finally, Fighting Fire With Fire
Experts at the Child Mind Institute urge parents to put screen-obsessed kids’ well-being first by instituting practices like scheduled tech time and consistent time limits.