The Pesky Truth About Our Youngest Children and Screens

Sam was at his friend Ben’s house for their routine midweek after-school playdate. When his dad picked him up, Sam reported he’d had a “great time” with Ben and his new babysitter.

“That’s great, Sam. What was so much fun?”

“She let us play with her phone. She said it was really smart, and we could play dragon and castle games on it. Can I get one?”

As much as Sam’s dad hates being the bad guy, he replied, “No way,” without a hint of waver. He and Sam’s mom were on the same sentence of the same page about screens and their kids: not anytime soon, even if they’re the only kids in the neighborhood. And some neighborhoods have plenty of two-year-olds with their own devices.

Sam’s mom: “I hate how devices run my life and I don’t like how I feel after I’ve stared at one all day at work.”

Sam’s dad: “I know I’m losing IQ points the longer I stare at one. How good could this be for a brain that’s growing ten times faster than mine?”

I’ve written about screen time before, but an important study crossed my screen (!) recently that I believe should be shared with every parent of a child under four. Yes, the tech industry has made some small attempts to weaken the tsunami they started, following pressure from the U.S. Surgeon General, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and others, but some of the major players have dug in their heels.

The research tracked 6,218 children from 2-8 years old and did so over time, which is why it caught my attention. Here’s the skinny:

Children tracked in the study who engaged in more than 90 minutes of screen time per day when evaluated at 4.5 years old and again at 8 years old, were found to be below average in:

• Vocabulary (acquisition and usage)
• Writing skills
• Communication
• Letter and number fluency

Poorer social skills and more “peer problems” were seen in the studied group. These children were less liked by their peers, more likely to choose solitary play, and less likely to share toys or show consideration for others.

The study described how children who had more than 2.5 hours of screen exposure daily were worse off in all the above categories, while children who had less than an hour of screen time daily had stronger language, social, and educational performance skills, putting them typically in the upper third of their classes.

Countless studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of screen time on young children. Worrisome stuff and not hard to understand. Relentlessly stimulating screen content negatively affects a toddler’s capacity to concentrate and narrow focus. The corresponding reduction in face-to-face time erodes understanding of vital non-spoken interactions and shared emotions. Active play is diminished, affecting physical development and muscle growth. However, in Europe and the West, three-quarters of two-year-olds and 95 percent of three-year-olds are currently engaged with a screen above the recommended levels of exposure.

So what should parents do?

• Most screen time for children under two should be limited to video calls with friends and family.
• If you feel it’s necessary to introduce screen time, choose only educational and age-appropriate programming (see Common Sense Media).
• Ensure an adult is co-viewing and helping them process the content.