The Negative Effects Of Screen Time On Children, And Adolescents

I remember babysitting two young girls one night. When I arrived at their home I was warmly welcomed with hugs from the girls. Soon after though, I was surprised as they ran back to their “devices” and became completely absorbed in their own worlds. Additionally, I was surprised when I presented them with their dinners that they did not put their tablets up. Instead, they continued to watch their shows while absent-mindedly eating their dinner. When bath time came around, I expected this time to be a fun diversion from their tablets where I could interact with them and learn more about them. Thus, I was surprised by their erupting cries when I suggested bath time. The cries were even more exaggerated when I had to extract the tablets from their tight grasps to prepare them for their bath. Thus, the night with these girls continued in this manner, and I was left to absorb this extreme addiction to screen time I had witnessed. Although I have not seen this exact situation in other homes, I have witnessed similar events which caused concern. Parents, educators, and physicians have also acknowledged this issue, spurring much research on the effects of excessive screen time upon children and adolescents. (Perhaps add a clipping from newspaper.) This research has provided much
Often times, parents argue that specific television shows and applications are educational and thus, should not be limited. However, although limited access to educational television shows and mobile applications may be beneficial, screen time in general must be limited, because the negative effects of screen time are observed whether or not the television program or mobile application is educational or