How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?

I'm glad I'm not raising kids today.  When my kids were young, I had to drag them in from outside every night.  They were riding their bike, building a fort, or playing some other  game they had created with neighborhood friends.  Today, parents are trying to find a way to get their kids outside, away from the TV or IPad.  This is a problem for many families, and there is no right or wrong answer.  My feeling is that common sense must prevail.  If your 10 year old is spend 8 hours a day in front of a screen, that is probably excessive.  As with everything, balance and moderation should prevail.

I think we also have to look at ourselves.  Our children are watching, and if we, as parents and grandparents, are spending large amounts of time in front of the TV or on our phone or IPad, we are setting this as an example for our children.  It's hard to tell your kids not to play video games all day when you are doing the same thing.

Some parents think that limiting  screen time to 2-4 hours per day is reasonable, others feel there is no need to limit screen time if the child's grades are good.  My feeling is that more screen time means less interaction with real people, which means a child's interaction with others  may suffer.  Here is my thought.  Set aside an hour or two when all electronic devices will be turned off.  This could be every night, or just a few nights a week.  It's a great time to talk to each other with out any interference.