How much screen time is too much for kids?

Bill Gates (n.d.) once said, “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids

working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.” Technology is man-

made and it was primarily created to solve human problems or meet human needs and desires.

Technology has many advantages but when it comes to kids been introduced to technology it

should be monitored by parents closely. Kids, now a days are exposed to too much screen time at

early ages and that affects their lives in so much negative ways. Allowing too much screen time

to kids can lead them to develop obesity, behavioral disorder and it also expose them to explicit

content and online predators.

Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It’s a medical issue that increase the risk of other

diseases and health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and certain

cancers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 38.2 million children

under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2019. The prevalence of worldwide obesity

nearly tripled from 1975 to 2016. This figures are of great concern, since it has been four year

from this statistics meaning that those figure have increased at an alarming pace. We also need to

take into consideration that children were more physically active before the pandemic and it has

affected in a negative way too. The pandemic was a worldwide issue and it eventually increased

the screen time for children since lock down was mandatory. Parents should decrease the usage

of screen time because it increases eating while using screens leading to greater intake of

calories. Children are more than likely to see advertises of high calorie, low nutrients foods and

beverages that alters children’s preferences. If children are exposed to too much screen time with

no limits they will become unproductive individuals that will eventually live less if they develop

health issues. The greater responsibility relays on parents to make sure children grow healthy and
with the less health problems as they can prevent. Obesity or overweight is a disease but it can be

prevented so children can growing on the safe and healthier side.

Taking care of children’s health is important but excessive use of screens can also lead to

behavioral disorders. Behavioral disorder entails a pattern of disruptive behaviors in children that

cause problems in school, at home and in any social situation. Children are developing and

growing so they learn everything they see and hear so if children are allowed excessive screen

time they start to behave as many cartoons or characters they see. According to Elena Pearl Ben-

Joseph, (2022), How Media Use Can Affect Kids “The average American child will see 200,000

violent acts on TV by age 18. Many of these are done by “good guys,” whom kids are taught to

admire. In fact, often the hero wins by fighting with or killing the “bad guys.” This can also

confuse kids since they are still in the process of understanding the difference between right and

wrong. Behavioral disorder not only entails the way children behave but it is also defined as the

way children react in the society. Children get isolated when speeding too much time in screens

and they also start to feel excluded from society and this can lead to depression and anxiety.

Small kids have different behavioral disorders than bigger kids for instance they will cry and get

irritated if they are not given the technological device they are used to. Personally, I’ve restricted

my one year old baby to one hour screen time and this is usually done before bed time. I have

observed that this daily routine has encouraged my child to spend more quality time playing and

I’ve also noticed he’s not getting attached to any technological device. The best action to take is

to make it a routine starting from when kids are small that they will have certain limited time to

use any social media or any electronical device.

Children are likely to have obesity or weight, to develop behavioral disorders but we also

need to consider that children are exposed to explicit content and to online predators. It is
important to control screen time since children are exposed to uncomfortable situations from

being manipulated by malicious individuals to send private pictures to sending explicit material

to them. Individuals are most of the time controlling and asking for personal information without

children even realizing that they are risking their family’s security. According to the Internet

Watch Foundation (IWF) the pandemic worsen this situation. In 2021, the foundation “confirmed

252,000 URLs containing images or videos of children being sexually abused, compared with

153,000 in the previous year.” The IWF further explained that a significant part of the material

comes from situations where “children are manipulated into recording their abuse before it is

shared online with the fastest-growing increase occurring among seven to ten year olds.”

Children are exposed to many dangers online so reducing screen isn’t just healthy but it can also

prevent children from being harmed emotionally and physically. Not only social media is

dangerous but overall the internet and devices affect children negatively.

On the other hand, screen time also has its positive outcomes. Children are able to learn

remotely, they have their own working pace and their own terms. Being able to learn through

technology is also a great advantage for kids that suffer social anxiety and kids are also able to

stay communicated. In the era we live everyone is connected to the internet therefore, children

are able to interact with grandparent and other family members. Children have the opportunity to

use the internet to do face time and video conferences. Electronical devices also allow kids to

have fun with friends while playing games online and chatting. If children are to stay home they

can at least entertain themselves and learn new thing navigating the internet.

Never the less, let’s take into consideration that remote learning also means that children don’t

get to experience being in a classroom and interacting with class mates. Online learning can also

be isolating and children can develop social anxiety since they don’t have the daily routine of
getting up early and getting ready for school. If students stay home and learn from an

electronical device that doesn’t certifies that learning is effective and they also don’t have that

support from teachers that they would get if they study in a classroom. Children also have the

advantage of staying connected with grandparents and other family members but it’s healthier

for children to spend quality time rather than just doing facetime. Children should do recreational

activities with family members to connect and reinforce emotional feelings. It is also true that

children are able to play with friends online but in majority of the cases those online friends are

persons they don’t know. In this instance children are exposed to predators that are looking to

manipulate or obtain their information Even though social media and technology over all is of

great advantages for children it should be minimized and controlled at all times.

Children should be protected from any harm and any health issues that can be prevented.

Children are responsible for their actions but it is parent’s role to guide and protect them. The

overall well-being of kids is the most important aspect to take into consideration and the best

decision is to reduce screen time for kids. Stories have been heard that kids are manipulated and

they end up going to meet the online “friend.” In many of the situation kids are kidnapped, used

for organ trafficking or even used for exploitation. Children end up suffering and going through

situations that are indescribable and that hurts just saying it. As parents we should be well aware

of what kids do and with whom they interact. There are many parental controls apps that can be

used to restrain unsecured or explicit content pages from kids. Parents should also spend more

quality time with kids and have a good communication in order for kids to trust them. Having

mutual respect, love and also being able to have conversations about what happen will also help

parents know what’s happening. Children are the most precious gifts we have so we must take

care of them as best as possible. Parents should reduce screen time to create healthier habits to
reduce overweight or obesity, children should also be taught to have limits and control so they

can avoid having behavioral disorders. Lastly, but not less important children should be kept

away from restricted sites and they should be taught not to interact with strangers online.

Parent’s roles is to keep children safe and healthy. Children are our joy and our most precious

jewel. So let’s focus on encouraging healthier habits and to spend as much family time to

reinforce connections between family members. Every single effort is worth it if it is rewarded

with productive children and most importantly happy faces.