Many children spend a lot of time watching or playing with electronic media – from televisions to video games, computers and other devices. So, it is natural that parents should wonder about all the time children spend looking at a TV or computer screen. Americans say ¡°screen time¡± when they talk about any time spent in front of an electronic device. But perhaps parents should ease up on their concerns about screen time, at least for older boys and girls. Until last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggested that children and teenagers have no more than two hours of screen time a day. The academy has since changed that advice. In October 2016, the group¡¯s members agreed on a policy statement called ¡°Media and Young Minds.¡± In the statement, they listed a number of suggestions for parents and child care specialists. Here are some of the suggestions.
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* ¡°Avoid digital media use (except video-chatting) in children younger than 18 to 24 months.¡±
* For children ages 18 to 24 months, choose ¡°high-quality¡± media with your child. Avoid letting the child watch media alone. And avoid using media as a way to calm your child.
* For children two to five years of age, limit screen time use to one hour of ¡°high-quality programming¡± a day and watch it with your child.
* For children ages 6 and older, limit time spent using media and the kinds of media. Also, make sure screen time does not take the place of healthy sleep, physical activity and ¡°other behaviors essential to health.¡±
* Make sure to have media-free times together as a family, such as dinner or driving. Also make some areas of the home media-free. Turn off your child¡¯s electronic devices an hour before bedtime.
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The AAP also suggests that doctors ¡°educate parents about brain development in the early years¡± and the importance of hands-on, free play that builds language, thinking and social skills. The group also suggests that parents balance a child¡¯s screen time with other activities, such as getting enough sleep, exercising and doing homework.