Screen Time in Early Childhood: Concerns, Opportunities and Realistic Guidelines

In a world dominated by electronic devices, many of us worry about the longterm impact on our children, especially those who get hooked on screen time at an early age. What is a good age to introduce screens? How much time is too much? To what extent are very young children learning useful things from screen time? What beneficial experiences are children missing when they spend hours each day passively viewing or interacting with electronic devices? And how about our own use of devices and the effects on our children and our relationship with them?   Dr. Megan Gunnar, a world-renown expert from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development (and grandmother to two adorable infants), joins Marti & Erin for an information-packed, thought-provoking discussion of this timely topic. Listen and learn what you can do to help make sure you and your child take advantage of digital technology, but don’t let it take control of your life! This episode of Mom Enough is brought to you by Help Me Grow – MN, a longtime supporting partner of Mom Enough.   WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SCREEN TIME AND YOUNG CHILDREN? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for babies before 18 months of age and only a small dose of high-quality material beyond that age. What concerns did this week’s Mom Enough guest raise about screen time in very early childhood? In what ways can parents mediate the effects of screen time to reduce harm and enhance learning? Based on what you learned in this discussion, what do you think you are doing well and what would you like to improve in terms of the way you and your family are using electronic devices?   WANT TO LEARN MORE? ❉ IMPORTANT TIPS TO MANAGE YOUR KIDS' SCREEN USE. Check out this resource from Mom Enough and Comcast to help your child make the most of the online world and screens, while also keeping them safe when they surf the web. ❉ THE IMPACT OF MEDIA ON CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOR & DEVELOPMENT. Douglas Gentile, psychology professor at Iowa State University and a leading researcher on children and the impact of media, joins Marti & Erin for an information-packed discussion every parent should hear. Take special note of the power of parents to prevent the negative effects of media! ❉ MONITORING AND MANAGING YOUR CHILD'S USE OF SCREENS. Mom Enough partnered with Comcast to let you know about new resources for monitoring and managing your children’s screen use. Learn more in this video.