Weekend-Engagement # 296 / Be careful with excessive screen time in young children

Although I love sports and enjoy them very much, I believe the first topic proposed by @galenkp is very important and needs to be addressed. As a teacher with over 30 years of experience, I consider it vital due to its importance for the development of children, adolescents, and young adults.

That's why I've decided to answer this question from the creator of the initiative:

What do you think about putting young children in front of a screen (television, tablet, phone, computer) to entertain them and keep them quiet? Do you think there are better ways for young children to spend their time and better ways to educate them? Explain your answer.

The use of screens to entertain young children is a complex issue. I believe that as an occasional and limited resource, screens are not inherently negative. They can offer quality educational content and necessary respite moments for caregivers.

However, the problem becomes truly serious when:

• They replace essential human interactions
• They are overused for entertainment, or when parents see this tool as something that calms or soothes the child and leave them with these devices for extended periods
• Children often consume content inappropriate for their age
• They limit free play time, physical exploration, and contact with nature.

For this reason, it is necessary to avoid the overuse of these media and instead use other activities that, from a physical, psychological, recreational, and educational perspective, are far more effective at educating, teaching, and developing children.

For example:

• Free play with everyday objects such as balls, boxes, and toys
• Traditional games that have been forgotten in favor of video games and other digital games

• Outdoor activities that develop motor skills
• Shared reading of stories
• Imitation and role-playing games
• Simple artistic activities

For education, modeling behavior and everyday conversation are usually more effective than any screen or digital tool. Optimal child development occurs primarily through interaction with real people and diverse physical environments.

Balance and intentionality are key: it's not about completely eliminating screens, but about consciously integrating them to support the development of children, adolescents, and young adults.

What do you think?

Note: The photos are my own, taken with my Samsung J2 phone.
I used DeepL Translate.