“All screens are not created equal”

Pediatricians are dialing back their recommendations on screen time limits for children. 
By Sumathi Reddy
http://www.wsj.com/article_email/pediatricians-rethink-screen-time-policy-for-children-1444671636-lMyQjAxMTE1NDEyNTkxOTU2Wj

A new article, released October 12, 2015, reevaluates screen time limits for kids. As a mom of two kids, one recently turning two, in this technological age I am more than happy to read that this is being reevaluated. “All screens are not created equal” is important to understand. Watching hours of mindless reality TV is not the same as a documentary on the lives of the great killer whales. Watching 30 minutes of kitten youtube videos is different than 30 minutes of facetime with a distant relative.

Personally when I review the TV shows or the phone application I present to my daughter I try to evaluate what it is promoting. I try to limit her to one fun movie (i.e. Tangled and Frozen are a hit because she likes to sing and dance along to the songs and the animals make her happy) and the phone apps are puzzles and encourage her motor skills (i.e. drawing and matching games).

A huge vice I know needs to be corrected is the “background” TV. Growing up the TV was only on when everyone was around to watch it. As I grew up though and lived on my own I liked having music or movies playing in the background for sound because when it was too quiet it meant that every creak was a stranger creeping around ready to bust in. Now, the second I get home the TV is flipped on and stays on till it times itself out long after we fall asleep.

I do get out of the house with my daughter though… as it cools off especially. Now we spend about an hour outside which means an hour away from the constant stream of TV.