On a recent trip, I was surprised to see that almost every child in the airport or on the plane was absorbed by the bewitching screen of an iPad. While I understand the difficulty of travelling with small children and keeping them occupied during long layovers, I wonder what larger, long-term difficulties we might be creating for our children by allowing them too much screen time.
Research has indicated that excessive screen time interferes with child development. Here are some concerning trends associated with the overuse of electronics: delayed language development, slowed social and emotional growth, poor academic performance, increased likelihood of obesity, sleeping problems, depression, and anxiety. Those possibilities should make us consider hitting pause on the movie or video game.
