Much has been researched and written about young
children and how much (if any) screen time they should be allowed to have at
different ages. The information and recommendations change daily as we try to
keep up with the pros and cons of the latest technology (I’ll offer more on
that in another posting). But what’s not being written about is the other screen time. That is;
adults watching a screen while
caring for young children. Last
year I took my two young grand children to the park where there were a dozen or
so other adults with their children. I suddenly realized I was the only adult
who was actually watching the
children and got thinking about the consequences of “the other side of screen time.”
Don’t get me wrong. I love my I-pad and my smart phone
and my computer (all of which have allowed me to create and execute this
project), but with this technology comes huge responsibility. So here are my
thoughts on what’s not happening
with our children while we are on our phones, pads, televisions, and other
screens...
1. Brain Connections- Babies and young children
learn new things constantly throughout their day. And when they discover
something new the first thing they do is look to their adult for a reaction. It
is in this split second, when the adult reacts, that connections are made.
These connections build the wiring in the brain. What happens when a baby keeps
looking to its parent or caregiver and no one is looking back, preventing those
connections from being made?
2. Face Time- We know children learn empathy by watching the expressions on our faces;
concentrating on our eyes. At six months of age they watch our lips as they
begin to try to figure out sounds and speech. The more they see and hear us,
the more they learn about language and human emotion. How much are they not
seeing and hearing from us?
3. Talk Time- Babies and young children love the sound of your voice and the more they
hear it the more they engage and learn. When you imitate the sounds they make
you stimulate brain activity. But time spent on screen is time spent not talking. How much time do we now spend not talking?
4. Memories- When
you are in the same room with your baby, but focused on a screen, you are missing out on the best entertainment
ever- the human being discovering its world for the first time! Nothing is more
amazing, and miraculous things happen constantly. These miracles happen in the
blink of an eye, and you don't want to miss them!
5. Safety- Last
but certainly not least, there is the safety issue. As I sat in the park and
looked around I I realized how easy it would have been for a small child in a
busy play area to suddenly disappear. It’s hard enough to keep your eyes on
your own child in a sea of motion, let alone if you look away for five or ten
or twenty minutes…
Last year I was setting up for a concert in a
classroom at a large daycare. Most of the kids were outside, but the youngest
group was in the room. It took me twenty minutes to set up. The teacher was
texting the entire time as the one and two-year-olds wandered around the room
aimlessly. I purposely didn’t engage with them as I was curious to see just how
long the teacher would remain “absent.” I was heart-broken at the missed
opportunities that hung so heavily in the silence. In a positive and caring environment
you would hear an adult say something like, “Oh! You have a blue block! Would
you like to build something? Let’s build a house!” Well, you get the idea. When
there is such a lack of engagement it’s stunning. I’m sure the teacher wasn’t a
bad person. She was no different than many of us caring for children both at
home and in schools and daycares. We just haven’t thought through the
consequences of this new world we live in. We haven't thought about what isn’t happening while we’re busy with our
technology.
It’s not complicated, but it’s profoundly important. To
raise happy, healthy, smart children, we
have to be present, and not just physically present. And that brings me back to
singing. Singing is so simple. It’s free. It’s available to every one of us,
regardless of income or education. We are meant to
sing, and when we sing with our children all of the things that should be
happening can and do! So the next time you’re caring for a baby or young child,
try putting down your device and just sing together.
Twenty years from now you won't look back and wish you had spent more time texting or watching something on a screen. I promise!