Let’s face it – screen time is an inescapable reality of modern parenting, with kids of every age spending hours upon hours in front of iPads, smartphones and televisions. And that’s not always a bad thing.
Educational apps and kiddie-geared TV shows are great ways for little ones to sharpen their developing brains and hone quick communication skills (not to mention the much-needed break these gadgets can provide harried parents!).
But before you employ your Xbox as a babysitter, tread carefully. A number of troubling studies connect delayed cognitive development in kids with extended exposure to electronic media, with the data all seeming to point to the same core issue: too much of a good thing. The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates that American children spend a whopping seven hours a day in front of electronic media, and other statistics say that kids as young as two years old are regularly playing iPad games and have playroom toys that involve touch screens.