WASHINGTON 鈥� While many adults may seem like they have their heads buried in their phones and tablets, new research is showing just how abundant screen time is with kids and toddlers.
A ages 6 months to 4 years found that three-quarters of them had been given tablets, smartphones or iPods of their own by age 4. The survey, which was released last month in the journal Pediatrics, found that half of the children had their own TV, too.
Researchers found that almost all of the children 鈥� 96 percent 鈥� used mobile devices, and most started before age 1.
Technology can be a crutch when raising with children that young, says parenting blogger Leslie Morgan Steiner of . She says many parents use devices to occupy children, distract them during a tantrum or to help put them to sleep.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a natural thing to do as a parent,鈥� Steiner told 蜜桃视频app. 鈥淏ut you have to wonder, are we teaching our kids good problem-solving skills by doing that? And I would say no.鈥�
The study found 70 percent of parents gave children devices when doing house chores, 65 percent used devices to help keep kids calm and 29 percent let kids use devices at bedtime.
The research comes around the same time as that found teenagers spend .
Common Sense Media released a survey Tuesday that found two-thirds of teenagers said they listen to music every day, and 58 percent said the same about watching TV.聽By contrast, 45 percent reported using social media every day and only 36 percent said they enjoyed that activity 鈥渁 lot鈥�; twice as many said they really enjoyed their music.
Of concern to Steiner is that the survey found girls are spending more time on social media than boys.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 almost like seeing a new kind of OCD or eating disorder develop, that girls are so obsessed with how many people 鈥榣ike鈥� their photos. It鈥檚 kind of a stand-in for self-esteem,鈥� Steiner says.
And while parents should be mindful about what their kids are doing online 鈥斅� no matter the age 鈥� Steiner says there is no perfect age to begin and end monitoring online activity.
鈥淚 think it depends on the kid, but I come from the school where we should never give up,鈥� Steiner says. 鈥淲e should always be trying to gently look over their shoulder or engage them, talk to them about what they鈥檙e doing.鈥�
Steiner has some tips for parents when it comes to kids鈥� online and screen time:
- Encourage kids to use apps that work kids鈥� brains. There are many math- and reading-focused applications that can help educate.
- Watch for warning signs with self esteem, such as girls craving too many social media 鈥渓ikes.鈥�
- Be a good role model for kids. Devices are addictive, even for adults, so try to limit time on them.
Listen to the full interview with Steiner:
