Monday, February 8, 2016

Screen Time Part 1

Screen Time: A Rationale for Research

Being a librarian and technology proponent, I recognize the power technology can have in education.  There are amazing things technology can accomplish.  I see how quickly students, and my own children, adopt technology tools .  My nine-year old daughter is a faster typists now than I was at thirteen.  My son can navigate an i-pad or i-phone like it's second nature.  Yet, I struggle just with many other parents do, on wondering how much technology is too much?  
What is the appropriate time allowed on a screen?  I've dabbled in research on times allowed on screens and have found some interesting articles, for example this one from CNN Health, but I always felt I needed to go into more depth.  Luckily on one of my regular family visits to the NO BO CORNER LIBRARY (yes a shameless plug for the Public Library System) I came across a book published in 2015 titled Screen-Smart Parenting by Jodi Gold, MD.  I started reading it and thought it had some great suggestions and ideas on this timely topic.  

I've decided to synthesize some key parts but do recommend, if you have the means, purchasing the book.  Or, you could reserve it from the library.  Mine is due soon.


Research on Home Media Environments

 In a 2013 study, Northwestern Center on Media and Development survey 2,300 parents of children from birth to 8 years of age.  They also surveyed focus groups in California and Illinois.  Some key findings:
  • Children under 8 often use technology with their parents and more likely to use educational games and apps.  
  • At ages 9-10, children become more literate and social.  
The study also identified 3 types of media environments that these parents of young children were creating.  I added the percentage and some descriptors of each below:
  • 39% Media-Centric Parents--love media; spend on average of 11 hours/day.  Tend to keep TV on at home even when no one is watching.  44% have TV in bedroom.  Children spend an average 4.5 hours on screen media.
  • 45% Media-Moderate--parents spend approximately 4.5 hours at home.  Play limited video games, tend to prioritize doing things outside as a family.  Children in media-moderate spend 3 hours per day of screen media.
  • 16% Media Light--spend fewer than 2 hours/day on screen media.  Less likely to use TV to occupy their children.  Children spend and average of 1 hr. 35 min. per day on screen media.

Chart Your Own Media Diet


One of the first steps Dr. Gold suggests is that we assess your own family's technology diet.  Her main point is to understand your children's usage, you must first identify your family's use of technology. She challenges the reader to find out how much media you and your children really use.  She encourages you to try to keep a media diary for each member of your family for 3 days.  If your children are over 8, they could keep their own diary.  In this diary document how much time is spent each day on:
  • TV: real time, delayed and Web-based
  • Computer/tablet: online and offline activities (including homework, but star it)
  • Phone: include voice calls, texts, games and surfing
  • Gaming consoles: handheld and stationary
  • Music is not counted unless listening to while online or gaming
She encourages not to "sweat the details" but instead looking for a general idea on how much time each member of your family spends with technology.

Some tips for keeping an accurate record:
  • Track hourly.  If you can't do three days in a row; pick a few days a week.  Include a weekday and weekend.
  • Send a text, put a note in your phone, or mark a calendar each time you use technology.
  • You can look at phone usage data or use RescueTime for online activities
You may be surprised what you discover.  "Children learn by example.  We all know that if Mom and Dad are texting and checking Facebook throughout dinner, then it is hardly shocking that the kids will follow suit" (Gold 25).  

I plan to chart my own families' media diet and will share the results in a subsequent blog.  I also plan to summarize Chapter 2: The Facts Behind How Technology Affects Your Child's Development.  

Thanks again for reading.


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