Author Neil Postman predicted the end of the world was near in 1985. He perceived that television would be the cause of a problematic future. Though negative in his views on the future of humanity, he had profound predictions, regardless of the time gap between now and then. When the television takeover emerged, Postman wrote, Amusing Ourselves to Death as an informational warning to society. He feared that writings would vanish and people would rely on the entertainment industry for their news and discoveries rather than learning about history about those who wrote it down.
Today, not only is the television prevalent, it is a necessity for every home. The elderly, adults, teens, children, toddlers and infants are watching screens nowadays and the effect it has on the American society is substantial. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the video deficit, or the recommendation of moderate usage for infants under the age of two, is being defied by guardians. When official recommendations are defied by those with young children, there are consequences that affect toddlers' social skills, mental health, and physical development. This makes sense for, at this age, toddlers are going through a multitude of changes that include physical growth and mental development. Having social interactions with others taken away can cause future relationships to be at risk for screens may take place of those key early on interactions.
Why would guardians defy a clear recommendation from a trusted health source? Some might consider it to come from pure laziness. If a child gets fussy, a recent distraction has been to put a screen in front of them so they can focus on a kids show or play while the family enjoys a quiet environment. It has become second nature for kids to learn using screens. Not only at this young age at home but being introduced to screen-based technology in pre-school. Toddlers should not be exposed to screens due to their developing minds that need personal interactions for growth rather than being babysat by a harmful object.
Today, not only is the television prevalent, it is a necessity for every home. The elderly, adults, teens, children, toddlers and infants are watching screens nowadays and the effect it has on the American society is substantial. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the video deficit, or the recommendation of moderate usage for infants under the age of two, is being defied by guardians. When official recommendations are defied by those with young children, there are consequences that affect toddlers' social skills, mental health, and physical development. This makes sense for, at this age, toddlers are going through a multitude of changes that include physical growth and mental development. Having social interactions with others taken away can cause future relationships to be at risk for screens may take place of those key early on interactions.
Why would guardians defy a clear recommendation from a trusted health source? Some might consider it to come from pure laziness. If a child gets fussy, a recent distraction has been to put a screen in front of them so they can focus on a kids show or play while the family enjoys a quiet environment. It has become second nature for kids to learn using screens. Not only at this young age at home but being introduced to screen-based technology in pre-school. Toddlers should not be exposed to screens due to their developing minds that need personal interactions for growth rather than being babysat by a harmful object.
I get so tired of looking over at a family at a restaurant and NOBODY is talking to each other...the parents are on their phones, the 8-year old is on their ipad, and even the baby has an ipad set up with a kid's show. I've observed this at church too – parents believe that their child will be bored with the service, so they give them the ipad and let them play mindless games instead of learning how to worship in a service. I don't know when this "parenting" decision became popular, but I hope more and more parents become aware and follow the video deficit recommendations.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that it is crucial for kids to spend their formative years creating things rather than looking at things others have created, but is it possible that there would be any benefits for toddlers having screen time? Another questions is when did parents move from bringing coloring books with them everywhere for their kids to just bringing a screen? I'm also really interested to see what specific harms your research found for introducing kids to technology at such a young age.
ReplyDeleteRecently I finished the TV series Mad Man. The show takes place in the 1960s, and the main character is a working father with a stay-at-home wife and two kids. Often throughout the shows early seasons, the parents often tell their kids to "just go watch TV" while they are at eating dinner by themselves. As the show progresses and the kids age, the kids show social skills, but it's obvious that they harbor a bit of resentment for their parents. It's almost they were more parented by TV than their actual parents. If this is from the 1960s, then it seems like our generation is the second or third generation from these kids. What is the trickle down from that? I'm not sure, but it's very meta that I am getting my information from a TV show, so maybe that says it all
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ReplyDeleteThis is some really cool research Lara! I know that when I was a kid, I was placed in front of the tv a lot. While the screen time I had is not nearly on the scale that it is today for a lot of kids with tablets and smart phones, it's still a very worthwhile conversation to have. I would be very curious to see the long term effects overall on kids that have been exposed to this at such a young age, but I suppose that will come with time as they get older and these things are studied more in-depth.
ReplyDeleteI loved that you analyzed this piece of work. It brought me back to New Media! While television hasn’t been the demise of humankind, it’s obvious that technology is taking over and ruining the way we communicate and interact with others. It makes me so sad that it’s this way, but it doesn’t seem like there could’ve been any other outcome. I really dislike that people use technology to “babysit” their kids and that children understand how to use gadgets before they can walk or talk. Great application! I can’t wait to hear more about it.
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