If parents put their little ones in front of the TV or put a tablet, smartphone or any other screen in the child’s hands to have some peace, they are not necessarily doing the child any favors.
The amount of screen time among children aged 0-2 doubled from 1997 to 2014, and research has shown that when children are overexposed to this type of passive entertainment, it can hinder their cognitive abilities and social development.
But at the same time, screen time can second British and French research it’s fine for small children.
However, it requires an adult to sit next to you.
Quality and not quantity
“We are usually told that screen time is bad for a child and can seriously harm their development if screen time is not limited to, say, just under half an hour a day. Even if it is true which can be harmful, our research shows it’s important to focus on the quality and context of what the child sees, and not the quantity,” says Dr. Ester Somogyi, researcher at the University of Portsmouth.
“A short story, fast clips and complex stimuli can make it difficult for children to understand and process action and information. However, if the content of what is shown is appropriate for the child’s age, it can have a positive effect, especially if it encourages interaction,” she continues.
It’s important to be able to ask questions
This is where adults come into play. Studies have shown that if children watch television with a parent or other adult next to them, they get more out of what’s being shown by being able to ask questions about what they don’t understand. Watching television with your child is not only beneficial, it helps him understand what he is seeing. It also increases their exchange of educational programs for children. At the same time, it helps to develop the child’s ability to converse and have a social dialogue.
Cannot be used as a “babysitter”
According to Dr. Bahia Guellaï of Université Paris Nanterre is all about seeing new technology right. Most importantly in all of this, parents and other caretakers of children perceive television and smartphones as potential tools to supplement – not replace – certain social interactions with children.
“I think the biggest challenge for future generations is to raise awareness of adults and young people about the risks of careless screen use. It is important to prevent situations where screen time is used as a ‘babysitter’, of which we have many examples in relation to the closure of societies during pandemics,” he explains, adding: I look optimistically to the possibility of finding some kind of balance between the rapid production of new technologies and the preservation of the beauty of human relationships. “
