Digital Demise: How Do I Manage My Child's Screen Time?

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ: I’ve always been an advocate for movement, and there are plenty of studies that show a positive relationship between physical activity and cognitive function in children.

I know I was quite the kinetic kid and if I didn’t get my daily dose of at least three hours of running around in my youth, I would be worse than an adult that woke up late, didn’t have their cup of coffee, lost their keys, found them in the car and then hit traffic right when they realized that their presentation was back home.

In a nutshell, I was a young boy.

Kids Need More Opportunities to Move

Today’s children spend a tremendous amount of their lives sitting: in classrooms, doing homework, traveling from place to place and in front of screens.

At the same time, current physical activity guidelines recommend that children and teenagers ages 6 through 17 get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day.

When we continually ask children to sit still and concentrate while reducing their opportunities to move, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised when some of them “have the wiggles” or “the giggles.”

How do we expect children to be smarter and pay closer attention if they are being asked to suppress their urge, and sometimes biological need, to move?

Movement, Sleep and Attention All Matter

Movement isn’t the only part of the equation.

Children also need adequate sleep. Sleep recommendations call for approximately 9 to 12 hours per night for children ages 6 through 12 and 8 to 10 hours for teenagers ages 13 through 18.

How do we expect children to behave when they’re not getting enough sleep because they’re overstimulated by the media they consume?

How do we expect kids to be polite, patient and respectful of others when they’re overtaxed mentally and undernourished physically?

So what do we do?

How Can Parents Manage Their Child's Screen Time?

We can hack away at the screen time.

Yes, I know that everything has gone mobile and digital, and that this is how children of the future will get ahead, but they’ll still need human attributes too.

They’ll need discipline, awareness and organization in order to prioritize their tasks.

They’ll need socialization skills, because although they may have fewer opportunities for ‘face time’, it will be that much more important to successfully navigate those interactions.

Because of this more sedentary lifestyle that children are being born into, they will need the will and discipline to get up and move in order to improve circulation, reduce stress and maintain their health.

Physical Activity Doesn't Have to Compete With Learning

We can reclaim gym and recess.

It is my opinion that more physical movement could actually make a class run more efficiently and reduce disciplinary disruptions.

Re-balancing the time spent between the classroom and the gymnasium or playground could benefit kids’ overall health and general well-being.

Research has found positive associations between physical activity, fitness and cognitive function in children. While the evidence regarding direct improvements in academic performance is more mixed, researchers have found no indication that increasing physical activity negatively affects cognition or academic achievement.

In other words, giving children more opportunities to move doesn’t necessarily mean taking something away from their education. Movement can be part of preparing them to learn.

Kids Still Need to Be Kids

The digital age has made it easier than ever to consume information, entertainment, goods and services without moving very far at all.

But children still need to move.

They need to run. They need to play. They need to interact with other children. They need enough sleep. They need opportunities to develop discipline, awareness and organization away from a screen.

Having taught children for three decades, this has always been my contention, but now I have the studies to back it up and so do you.

How will you use this information to improve your child’s life?