Navigating Screen Time Balancing Technology and Child Development
In today's digital age, it can be difficult for parents and educators to strike a healthy balance between technology use and child development. While screen time can offer numerous benefits, it can also have negative effects on a child's development. Therefore, it is important for parents and educators to approach screen time in a thoughtful and intentional manner, with a focus on achieving a healthy balance between technology use and offline activities.
To help create a healthy balance, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends guidelines for age-appropriate screen time, such as limiting screen time to one hour per day of high-quality programmes for children aged two to five years, and limiting media or device usage for children aged six years and older. Parents and educators can also use strategies such as setting boundaries, modelling healthy behaviours, choosing high-quality media, and using media as a tool to supplement other activities and enhance learning experiences.