The regrettable truth of today’s contemporary society is the fact that youngsters are confronted with much more screen time than any parent would really like. Between televisions, computers, tablets and phones, youngsters are totally over-exposed to this particular technological attraction. Frequently, it may be simpler to put a young child looking at a screen to have them busy for the hour while parents set about their day attempting to keep the house working well. Even though this can be a temporary solution, it’s absolutely a lasting liability. Many parents feel nothing with their children spending several hours a day looking at a TV or computer, however this may have serious implications. There are actually real dangers to children that happen to be subjected to an excessive amount of screen time, plus the repercussions are getting to be increasingly more common.
Mental Development
It has been statistically proven time and time again that children whom have access to a television in their room perform more poorly on exams and tests in school than those that don’t. The allure of television to young children is simply too great, and it is our job as parents to limit this access. This should include televisions and computers in the bedroom.
Physical Development
The more television that children watch, the fatter they are. That may sound harsh, but it is true. Every hour a child spends sitting in front of a TV is an hour not spent running around with friends, cycling a bike or climbing a tree. Children should have active lifestyles, and sitting in front of the television for hours on end stunts their physical growth and encourages obesity. Additionally, children that eat meals in front of the TV are most at risk. Meals should always be eaten at a table, with the TV switched off.
Indecent Exposure
How confident are you that you know exactly what your child is watching on the television at all times? How confident are you that their computer game contains suitable themes? How confident are you about who they are interacting with on the internet? TV and video games aside, the internet is a very dangerous place that is absolutely unsuitable for young children. Any internet activity should be completely supervised, while all video games and television programs should be age appropriate. The longer children spend in front of the screen, the less you know about what they are looking at.
Sleep Disruption
Digital interaction late at night affects brainwaves in a particular way, and often causes difficulties for young children trying to get to sleep. For this reason, all televisions and computers should be turned off some time before the scheduled bed time to allow children the best opportunity for a sound night’s sleep. Additionally, it is important that children do not have access to computers or televisions in their bedrooms. If they can access it, they will access it. Sleep disruption affects mental and physical development, and it should be avoided at all costs.