The last week of April was No Screens Week at my children's school. In the efforts to promote more reading, more playing outside and more activities unrelated to technology, their principal asks students to avoid all of these distractions that involve screens.
Funny thing is, my kids are actually into it.
Meanwhile, a new study caught my eye related to what is typically the biggest screen in a house: the television. Matthew Lapierre, a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, tells Time.com that even when it is on in the background, too much television can be detrimental to a child's development.
Here is a link to the write-up: http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/20/tv-on-in-the-background-its-still-bad-for-kids/
Plus, Lapierre tells Time that he was shocked by how much time the TV was going for the average child: four hours per day.
His advice? Pretty simple. Lapierre tells Time that if no one is watching the TV, turn it off.
Duh.
And if you do, researchers believe you can help improve a child's ability to pay attention, ability to communicate with parents, and ability to achieve in school.
By the way, both of my children made it through the week, screen-free, no problem. Way to go, kids.
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