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Tablet entertainment might settle your kid down in no time, but new research from the University of Alberta shows that this simple parenting solution might actually have the opposite effect long term.
“Children should develop a healthy relationship with screens as young as 3 to 5 years of age,” Dr. Mandhane toldABC News. “Our data suggests that between zero and 30 minutes per day is the optimal amount of screen time.”
TheAmerican Academy of Pediatricssuggests limiting screen use to a maximum of one hour a day “of high-quality programming” for preschool children ages 2 to 5, while the only screen time they advise for kids younger than 2 years old is video chatting.
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Davis told PEOPLE that parents should “really think about what their families’ needs are” before limiting screen time — in some circumstances, itmight actually aid in communication. She shared a real-life example: a firefighter who told her that he uses a video chat app to read bedtime stories to his kids when he works late.
“It was really sweet and nice, and something that he wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise,” she said. “That screen time [is beneficial] if your 3-year-old is at home and you really want to be able to make that connection. You don’t want to say, ‘No, no screen time.’ ”
Although face-to-face connection and direct engagement with kids is preferred, it’s not always realistic. As Davis added, “It’s really nice to be able to do some kind of connection via a device. One of the things the American Academy of Pediatrics has really focused in on [is] the differences in screen time, and really trying to identifyand give guidance to parents on that.”
Child using a tablet.Getty
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Luckily, a device that pairs with an app calledCirclemay provide a solution. Circle is a screen-management service that allows families to manage multiple devices in their network, both inside the home and out.
Circle CEO Andrew Olson tells PEOPLE exclusively that Circle “manages everything from smartphones, to game consoles, to PCs — all of the different things.” He and his team recognized that families have different screen-time needs and created the app to accommodate each and every one.
Olson added that using the app is a hassle-free experience for both parents and children. And, after using the app with his own young family, he knows that it can alleviate those stressful parenting conversations about screen time.
“It takes the argument between the kid and the parent away,” Olson tells PEOPLE. “The (app) takes on that burden.”
The Circle Home Plus device retails for $129 atmeetcircle.com. It includes a membership for the first year, costing $10/month after that.
source: people.com
