{"id":1044,"date":"2021-04-16T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-04-16T10:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookrlab.com\/bookrclass2021\/?post_type=blog&p=1044"},"modified":"2024-05-14T12:43:56","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T12:43:56","slug":"is-screen-time-bad-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/blog\/is-screen-time-bad-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning and Connecting Online: Is Screen Time Bad for Kids?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Parents who boasted about their kids not having a Facebook account were forced to create one, as well as grant permissions to countless other apps. Screens that were once forbidden have become essential everyday tools, but concerns haven\u2019t weakened. Should parents worry about the effects of screen time on their developing children? What does a child\u2019s online engagement look like? We seek to answer these questions with the help of BOOKR Kids<\/a> psychologist, Dominika Gy\u00e1nyi<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text]

It\u2019s not a question of screen time, it\u2019s a question of content<\/h2>\n[vc_column_text]In today\u2019s digital world it\u2019s nearly impossible to avoid screen time, which makes it no surprise that for children growing up in the age of the internet, electronic devices are a part of life \u2013 not to mention the current period of online learning.\u00a0Recent studies have shown, however, that the main question when it comes to screen time is not how much time is spent in front of a screen,<\/strong>\u00a0it\u2019s what is being consumed. Consumption of different types of content has a different effect on the nervous system.<\/p>\n

We can group digital content that children interact with into four categories:[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9606″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Entertainment and social media can have unwanted effects on not only the children but adults as well:<\/strong>\u00a0entertainment media seems to dampen intellectual processing and verbal skills, while social media has proven to be associated with depression.\u00a0Educational screen time on the other hand has been linked to doing better in school and has no negative health effects.\u00a0<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9604″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_row_inner el_id=”highlight-box”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622109201608{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]When we talk about the internet, there is a very important factor that must be discussed: SAFETY[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]High-quality educational platforms and apps tend to be totally ad-free, and make sure that children don\u2019t find themselves clicking on links that lead them into the black hole of the internet, or end up being approached by strangers. Using parental gates and child versions on all other media platforms is also highly advised.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=”highlight-box”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622109196621{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Although educational content generally stimulates the brain, its positive effects are only realized when screen time is balanced with other physical and social activities.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]The American Academy of Pediatrics even changed its screen time guidelines in 2015. They previously recommended two hours or less per day, but have not set a time limit anymore. Instead, the Academy recommends making sure that screen time does not substitute sleep or any physical activity.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9608″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]I believe it\u2019s the parents\u2019 and educators\u2019 responsibility to help and guide children towards conscious internet use for several reasons. First and foremost, to ensure their health and safety. Secondly, the proven detrimental effects of social media and other entertainment are worth highlighting to them.<\/p>\n

The most effective way to do that might be through open dialogue, where instead of demonizing the internet, we educate our children,<\/strong>\u00a0share experiences and discuss alternative ways to have fun and interact with others besides spending endless hours in front of a screen.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9607″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]

The present and future of digital learning<\/h2>\n[vc_column_text]It\u2019s hard to say how long high schoolers will be stuck in their rooms, and when we can all go back to classroom learning. What will the return be like? Will certain schools and teachers carry on using methods adopted during the pandemic, or will everything go back to the way it was?<\/p>\n

Answers should be based on what\u2019s best for the students. Online learning has put an unprecedented amount of pressure on parents, teachers and students alike.<\/strong> Students are required to focus even harder at a time when a lack of routine and social interactions can lead to difficulty concentrating and a lack of motivation.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1048″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]I sincerely hope online learning doesn\u2019t stay with us for years, because the digital world can\u2019t replace real-life physical interactions,\u00a0<\/strong>which are such an important part of social classroom learning.\u00a0At the same time, the digitalization of learning has given parents and teachers the opportunity to discover useful modern educational technology.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner el_id=”highlight-box”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622109413953{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Digital educational platforms have existed for a long time, and while many teachers have been apprehensive of them, they\u2019ve learned to use them successfully out of necessity.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]BOOKR Class<\/a> has been recognized by many teachers and parents worldwide as it has proven its suitability for online education, while also acting as a great supplementary digital tool for the traditional classroom setting.<\/p>\n

This ad-free digital library application is capable of supporting English language acquisition, and helping children develop not only language skills but soft skills as well in a very entertaining way, with stories as its main superpower.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This educational platform not only includes exciting modern and classic stories for children, but also contains an easy to use tool to monitor their own learning progress.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9605″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Perhaps these new creative educational platforms will bring about a change in attitudes towards teaching, and the \u201chow\u201d will become just as important as the \u201cwhat\u201d, which would help develop metacognition, an ability crucial in all areas of life, meaning the critical awareness of how we think and learn.<\/p>\n

So coming back to our original question: is screen time bad for kids?<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner el_id=”highlight-box”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1622109437896{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]I think the answer is very similar to other lifestyle questions regarding diet, sports, or hobbies:\u00a0the most important thing is to find balance.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]In this case, if we define clear and reasonable rules for balancing our children\u2019s screen time with regular physical activities and offline, social interactions,\u00a0we can minimize the negative effects of sitting in front of a screen.<\/strong>\u00a0And if we are able to introduce them to engaging, high-quality educational content to spend their screen time with, well, that\u2019s the icing on the cake and something. we should all consider for our children\u2019s educational future.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Before March of last year, being a good parent meant keeping your kids off your tablet, smartphone or computer. Oh, how times have changed.
\nThe internet is now our primary place for learning and interacting with each other. Classes are held online, teachers assign homework in chatrooms, and kids don\u2019t stand a chance without a laptop or tablet, not to mention all the programs and apps they use and register for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8851,"template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[23,65,59,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1044","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-class","category-parenting","category-psychology","category-teaching"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/1044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/1044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11907,"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/1044\/revisions\/11907"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookrclass.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}