[:en] When you Google “children and screen time”, you will instantly be confronted with a wide range of strong opinions on the subject. As with most controversial issues, it’s best to consider all the facts and draw your own conclusions.
Screen time is defined by the National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov) as “a term used for activities done in front of a screen such as watching TV, working on a computer or playing games.”
Technology undoubtedly has its advantages. With the arrival of tablets, education became more accessible and affordable. A seemingly endless range of educational games and apps for children are available for parents to choose from. (See our article on best games for children)
According to a survey conducted on behalf of kids clothing retailer Vertbaudet.co.uk, four in five parents in the UK believe technology and gadgets are beneficial to their children.
Clearly, many parents believe that technology is crucial to their child’s development and that it teaches coordination, concentration, communication skills and, of course, makes them tech-savvy. All of which is true.
Technology can be utilised for homework and in some schools, tablets are considered a necessity. Access to the internet and information has never been easier. But there’s always a “but”.
When technology purely becomes a means of entertainment to occupy a child with, it becomes a concern – on a psychological, as well as a medical level. The UK survey, mentioned above, indicated that children, on average, are exposed to screens 17 hours per week. Time spent outside adds up to 8.8 hours – almost half of the time spent interacting with a screen. In the United States, children spend, on average, 5 to 7 hours per day in front of a screen.
The UK survey, mentioned above, indicated that children, on average, are exposed to screens 17 hours per week. Time spent outside adds up to 8.8 hours – almost half of the time spent interacting with a screen. In the United States, children spend, on average, 5 to 7 hours per day in front of a screen.
Watching a screen is a sedentary activity and utilises little energy. Minimal physical activity, combined with unhealthy eating habits, (because we eat more when we do screen watching) leads to obesity.
Blue light emitted by digital devices interfere with the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin. A lack of melatonin causes a change in sleep behaviour and difficulty sleeping.
Constant exposure to an abundance of information and screens for long periods of time will lead to difficulty in concentration and an attention deficit disorder. This behaviour is beneficial for developing multi-tasking skills, but the ability to focus on one task at a time will not be learnt.
Anxiety, depression and screen addiction are all serious side-effects and may continue later in life. Just as with any other addiction, watching a screen alters brain chemistry. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter found in sugar and cocaine addictions, is also prevalent in screen addiction.
According to Psychology Today, studies indicate that extended exposure to electronic media might cause delayed cognitive development. During the early years of growth the brain’s frontal lobe, responsible for decoding and comprehending social interactions, is at a critical phase. If during this time, a child isn’t exposed to the necessary human interaction, the frontal lobe will not develop normally. This, in turn, will lead to the inability to learn to read social cues, facial expressions or empathise with people.
By no means do we suggest you immediately ban all electronic devices from your home. As with most things in life, moderation is key. With a few simple guidelines and rules, your children can still reap the benefits of technology.
Research suggests no screen time should be allowed for children under two years, as they are in a crucial developmental stage. One to two hours is recommended for children over two.
Instead of spending time in front of a screen, suggest hobbies, activities and playing outside, which will benefit physical development.
Other suggestions by the National Library of Medicine include:
- Remove televisions and other electronic devices from the bedroom.
- No screen time during meals or homework.
- No television as background noise. Rather switch on the radio.
- No eating while watching television or using a tablet.
- Keep track of time spent in front of screens.
- Be a good parental role model by limiting your own screen time.
- Challenge the family to spend one week without using their screens.
[SOURCES: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk, https://medlineplus.gov, https://www.psychologytoday.com, http://screenfreeproject.co.nz/news/]
[:af] Google “kinders en skermtyd” en jy sal gekonfronteer word met ʼn uiteenlopende en sterk menings. Die beste benadering met kontroversiële onderwerpe soos hierdie, is om die feite noukeurig te bestudeer en eerder jou eie gevolgtrekking te maak.
“Skermtyd” word deur die National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov) definieer as “aktiwiteite wat uitgevoer word voor ʼn skerm, byvoorbeeld televisie-kyk, werk op ‘n rekenaar of speletjies speel.”
Tegnologie het, sonder twyfel, sy voordele. Sedert tablette op die toneel verskyn het, is opvoeding meer toeganklik en bekostigbaar en is ‘n wye verskeidenheid opvoedkundige speletjies en toepassings vir kinders beskikbaar. (Lees ons artikel oor die beste speletjies vir kinders).
Volgens ʼn opname gemaak deur die klerehandelaar,Vertbaudet.co.uk, glo vier uit elke vyf ouers in die Brittanje dat tegnologie en toestelle voordelig is vir kinders.
Duidelik is baie ouers van mening dat tegnologie noodsaaklik is vir hul kinders se ontwikkeling en dat dit koördinasie, konsentrasie, kommunikasie en tegnologiese vaardighede, aanleer. Al hierdie argumente is geldig.
Tegnologie kan ingespan word vir huiswerk en sommige skole beskou tablette deesdae as ‘n noodsaaklikheid in klaskamers. Toegang tot die internet en inligting is makliker as ooit tevore. Maar, en daar is altyd ʼn “maar”.
Wanneer tegnologie bloot ‘n vorm van vermaak word om kinders mee besig te hou, raak dit probleem – op sielkundige en fisiese vlak. Volgens die Vertbaudet-opname spandeer kinders in Brittanje gemiddeld 17 uur per week voor skerms. In teenstelling spandeer hulle slegs 8.8 ure buite, byna die helfte minder. In die VSA styg dit tot 5 tot 7 uur per dag.
Om tyd voor ʼn skerm yr spandeer, is ʼn passiewe aktiwiteit wat die minimum energie verbruik. Die gebrek aan fisiese oefening, gekombineer met ongesonde eetgewoontes, lei tot vetsug. Jy is ook geneig om meer te eet wanneer jy tyd voor ʼn skerm spandeer.
Die blou lig wat deur digitale skerms uitgestraal word, beïnvloed melanien, die slaaphormoon. ʼn Tekort aan melanien ly tot ʼn versteuring in slaappatrone en slapeloosheid.
Hoewel die blootstelling aan meer inligting die vaardigheid om verskeie take te kan verrig, bevorder, bemoeilik dit die vermoë om op enkele take te fokus. Konsentrasievermoë verswak en kan aandagafleibaarheid tot gevolg hê.
Meer ernstige nagevolge soos angs, depressie en skermverslawing kan op die lang termyn blywend wees. Soos met enige ander verslawing, word die brein se chemiese balans versteur. Dopamien, ‘n neurosender in suiker- en selfs kokaïenverslawing, is ook aanwesig by skermverslawing.
Volgens Psychology Today, dui studies daarop dat verlengde blootstelling aan elektroniese media vertraagde kognitiewe ontwikkeling kan veroorsaak. Die frontale lob van ʼn kind se brein, wat verantwoordelik is vir die dekodering en ontleed van sosiale interaksie, is gedurende die eerste paar jaar in ʼn kritiese groeifase. As kinders gedurende hierdie fase nie genoeg interaksie met ander mense kry nie, ontwikkel die deel van die brein nie normaal nie. Dit lei tot die onvermoë om sosiale reëls te interpreteer, gesigsuitdrukkings te lees of empatie te hê met ander.
Dit beteken nie jy moet summier alle elektroniese toestelle uit jou huis verban nie. Soos met die meeste dinge in die lewe, is ʼn goeie balans al wat nodig is. Deur die toepassing van eenvoudige riglyne en reëls kan jou gesin steeds die voordele van tegnologie pluk.
Navorsing dui daarop dat kinders jonger as twee, gedurende ʼn belangrike ontwikkelingsfase, nie aan skerms blootgestel moet word nie. Een tot twee ure word vir kinders bo twee jaar voorgestel.
In plaas van ure verwyl voor ʼn skerm, moedig kinders aan om stokperdjies te beoefen, aan aktiwiteite deel te neem of buite te speel. Dit sal terselfdertyd ook voordelig wees vir fisiese ontwikkeling.
Die National Library of Medicine gee ook die volgende wenke:
- Verwyder televisies en ander elektroniese toestelle uit slaapkamers.
- Verban die skerm gedurende maaltye of huiswerk.
- Moenie die televisie aan hou as agtergrondgeraas nie. Skakel eerder die radio aan.
- Geen peuselhappies of etery terwyl kinders televisie kyk of op ʼn tablet speel nie.
- Probeer rekord hou van die tyd gespandeer met skermtoestelle.
- Wees ‘n goeie, rolmodel ouer en beperk jou eie skermtyd.
- Daag die gesin uit om ‘n week sonder skerms uit te hou.
[BRONNE: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk, https://medlineplus.gov, https://www.psychologytoday.com, http://screenfreeproject.co.nz/news/]
After watching Barney, the dinosaur, or Lollos, the unidentifiable creature with the big ears, sing the same song for the twenty-seventh time this week, most parents would be desperate to find something else. Even if it’s only to preserve their own sanity. 
[:en]How often have your attempts to set up a video conference been marred by locked conference rooms, double bookings, faulty equipment, incompatible systems and limited support? Even when it’s up and running, both video and audio quality are so poor, it’s practically useless.
Early last week media company, Sony, announced that they will be releasing a