Screentime

Before beginning to talk about television programming there are some issues I need to clarify. When researchers talk about screen time – they are referring to anything with a monitor involved- not only TV, videos, computers, but all the other electronic monitors that are in our lives currently (I pads, cell phones, etc) or in the future. For the very young it can affect actual vision such as myopia or a near/ far vision transfer (trying to adjust vision from close items to far items). Add this to what researchers are telling us about how screens affect weight, focus length, as well as academic success.

I have not seen or heard any research on what screen time does to hearing and listening skills. We do know that continual loud noise does evoke early deafness. There is also the know concern for headphone use and volume. People say that for many people the sounds of TV. IPods and videos are often background noise. If there is background noise it blocks the other noises within the environment. There are times when parents and teachers are talking with students and it would appear that students are not attending to the conversation. So the question is posed: is too much screen time contributing to the inability to stay focused let alone attend to an oral exchange? Are students oblivious or missing sounds of nature, the city, or their habitat?

In this day and age I would be surprised if there is any one of us who has not experienced a time when a screen is in use (any, from TV to IPads, and videos) which affects the situation. Either something disturbs (a ring tone or motion on a screen) to draw attention to the owner or the other person finds it necessary to immediately respond to a screen of some kind shifting the attention away from the concentration of the experience. Perhaps someone has walked into you or ignored you because of screen time. An experience may even be spoiled because everyone’s focus is shifted.

Consider the lack of communication that is going on because of screen time. Have you ever felt belittled because you don’t have someone’s full attention? Think back often some screen is involved.

All screen time is not horrible. The point here is- be aware of screen time and how screens are now affecting your life and those of children. Consider the ramifications.