How Playing With Screens Impacts Kids Later In Life
byLindsay E. Mack
For many parents, cell phones and tablets have been a fantastic addition to their parenting repertoire. Maybe you can get your grocery shopping done more easily when your little one is engrossed in an episode of Peppa Pig, or perhaps interactive games have made your long car rides a lot less chaotic. But knowing how playing with screens impacts kids later in life may make you reconsider your child's habits.
First things first: no one is going to tell you to throw your iPads in a fire and parent without any electronics. For most families, some screen time has its place in the daily routine. And according to New Scientist, tablets can indeed promote learning in children, and some kids enjoy learning to read by using interactive media instead of old-school books. Not all screen time is equal in this sense, and interactive, educational games may be helpful for many kids.
That said, there are also some potentially detrimental effects behind too much screen time. Nearly everything about your kid, from his ability to concentrate to his physical and emotional growth, may be affected by the time he spends in front of a phone, tablet, television, or computer. Keep these possible effects in mind so you can choose the best screen time strategy for your family.