Screen Time?

Namastè!

I hope you're experiencing copious amounts thereof tonight.

Tonight I am thinking about holiday gifts and travel.

We use smartphones and tablets sometimes in the car, at doctor's appointments, and during longer-than-usual errands to keep the kids entertained.

NOTE: The screens are not babysitters, and the kids are not left alone for hours with them. We do these activities as a family, with Dad Namastè or me (or both) participating and interacting as well. No need for any mommies to jump in being sancti because, you know, mommies be sancti.

This idea comes per a conversation I had last week. I always try to stay abreast of the American Academy of Pediatrics and their stance on various topics, even when I don't agree. I enjoy keeping up with how their postulation evolves. I was speaking with a dear friend about screen time and kids, and we both agreed that kids need to understand technology in a world where practically everything is electronically filed and connected. Even the AAP now acknowledges that educational programming can be beneficial, provided it is administered properly and the material is integrated into real application versus recitation. Example: Counting with Elmo, then counting grapes at snack time.

As you know, Baby Namastè's only eight months old. His routine for the day involves mostly nursing, playing, and exploring the house. He does not do complicated equations, nor does he draw at a fifth grade level. He is a baby, and he is learning (at a pretty advanced pace) all the things babies need to learn.

We watch Sesame Street every morning. I clap and sing along, and he enjoys it. He will now clap his hands when we say, "Yay baby!" He knows his name. He can "give Mommy (or Daddy) one." He can shake his head no, and he can understand "no" and "stop that." He also understands "give loves"! While I won't give the morning television time credit for that, I know seeing the characters and repeating what they do and say with us has been a boost to his comprehension.

He is a bright child to begin with, but that natural proclivity toward learning only goes so far--it must be nurtured and stretched. To that end, we do enjoy using learning apps on the tablets and phones. Currently our favorites are Fisher Price's Puppy Player (and its available library of apps covering everything from animals and shapes to colors and nursery rhymes, along with the standard numbers and alphabets options) and the PlaySkool Love2Learn app featuring Elmo. (More on this one soon!)

Many people we encounter have been surprised at how quiet the kids are in the car, or how advanced even the youngest Namastè is. I happily tell them how we read to and with them, and talk to and with them...and let them watch television.

"Television?! It makes them smart like that? Let me put my baby in front for some cartoons now!"

NO. Just NO. It is not simply because we put them in front of a screen. They benefit from the electronics, but they are not tethered to them 24-7. Quality of programming and quantity of programming definitely play a big role.

It is because they are getting a real-life grasp on real-life technology, age appropriately of course. The tablet they use in the car is chock full of learning apps and games to stretch their horizons. As parents, we play with them and monitor closely what they are exposed to. We make sure they are able to apply what they learn to real concepts.

For example, many parents equate knowing the alphabet song with actually knowing the alphabet. NOT TRUE. If the child is not able to consistently identify the letters, they do not in fact know the alphabet--yet the song is still taught and parents across the board become wholly offended when asked if the kids know the alphabet or simply the song. Don't misconstrue my intent--the song is a wonderful way to engage and bring the letters to the children in a fun way, but it alone cannot really impart knowledge. It is simply recitation.

The same applies with screen time!

Kids can and do learn from guided screen time in conjunction with real-life application and reinforcement. Educational programs like Sesame Street, coupled with trips to the library for books or talking about and looking for different numbers while in the grocery store are solid enrichment. They aren't necessarily standalone concepts though.

I am definitely in favor of appropriate screen time for kids Namastè, because I believe in using every tool to prepare them to meet the world on its terms. It surely won't meet them on theirs. We have a family business, but it's not guaranteed they will want to work for us. We simply have to prepare them now to compete successfully, whether it is for scholarships and honors in school OR for advancement in their selected field of work. I don't want them to ever settle simply because they don't know. They will learn to use an old school card catalog and Dewey Decimal System as well as the newer electronic reference systems.

It's all about balance.

Namastè!

-- Tayè K. ♡