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“Screen Time…How Much is Too Much?”

Mid-winter is upon us and recently I have had several parents ask questions about screen time – how much is too much and more specifically how to monitor and place limits on the amount of time young children spend in front of a “screen”.

For clarification purposes, screen time includes television, movies and videos, tablets, cell phones, video and computer games.  The list of “screens” continues to grow in our daily lives which makes this topic even more relevant.  Here is an excerpt from an article written at the Mayo Clinic that lists specific steps you can take to limit screen time:

  • Eliminate background TV:  If the TV is on – even just in the background, it is likely to draw your child’s attention.  If you are not actively watching a show, turn off the TV.
  • Keep TVs and computers out of the bedroom: Children who have TVs in their bedrooms watch more TV and videos than children who don’t.  Monitor your child’s screen time and the websites he or she is visiting by keeping computers in a common area in your house. (This is becoming more difficult with the use of devices that are so portable i.e. tablets).
  • Don’t eat in from of the TV: Allowing your child to eat or snack in front of the TV increases his or her screen time.  The habit also encourages mindless munching, which can lead to weight gain.
  • Set school day rules: Most children have limited free time during the school week.  Don’t let your child spend all of it in front of a screen.  Avoid using TV and video or computer games as a reward for finishing homework and chores.
  • Talk to your child’s caregivers: Encourage other adults in your c child’s life to limit your child’s screen time too.
  • Suggest other activities: Rather than relying on screen time for entertainment, help your child find other things to do.  Consider classic activities such as reading. Playing a sport or trying a new board game.
  • Set a good example: Be a good role model by limiting your own screen time.
  • Unplug it:  If screen time is becoming a source of tension in your family, unplug it by designating one day a week as a screen-free day.
  • Become an active participant: when your child has screen time make it as engaging as possible.  Make viewing an event, treat watching TV as though you were planning to see a movie.  Choose a show and pick a specific time to watch it.  Plan what your child views instead of flipping through channels.  Whenever possible watch TV with your child. Record TV shows and watch them at a later date.
  • Choose video games that encourage physical activity.

I also want to emphasize that there is no substitution for children actually reading a book and physically holding that book in their hands.  Some of the skills that this involves are very important pre-reading skills and they include:

  • Holding a book right side up and tuning pages starting at the front of the book
  • Looking at pictures and pretend reading (telling their own story using the pictures or paraphrasing a simple familiar story while turning the pages of a book).
  • Understanding that the printed words in the book convey the story
  • Understanding that printed words in a book are read from left to right and top to bottom.

Bottom line- there is no better way to spend time with your family than reading together using an “old fashioned book”!

On that note, The Conservative Synagogue Preschool is proud to be one of the sponsors of an upcoming event on Wednesday, April 4th at 7pm at Fairfield University featuring Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making, The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs.  Ellen Galinsky is the cofounder of the Families and Work Institute and the author of more than forty books and reports.  She is an accomplished keynote speaker with an important message for families and teachers of young children.  It should be a great event!  For more information on the book please go to the website at www.mindinthemaking.org.  Ticket information will be available at the TCS Preschool office.

During the month of January the TCS Preschool staff participated in a professional development workshop given by Scott Noyes, on Positive Discipline that Works!  It was a very productive morning with great resources for anyone working with young children.  For more information please come see me or go to the website empoweringprograms .org.

Jamie
Director, Early Childhood Education
jamiek@tcs-westport.org

 

www.kveller.com – resources for Jewish and intermarried parents

Miriam Feinberg published a newsletter called Celebrate in Your Home; you can contact her for more info at mmfeinberg@verizon.net

www.jecc.org/EarlyChildhood/CoolLinks.htm – contains holiday newsletters, etc.

Check out Drops of Honey from Torah Aura

Uscj.org/Raising_Jewish_Child5099.html – some really nice resources from USCJ

http://urj.org/learning/forparents – some really nice resources from URJ

www.playforaliving2.blogspot.com