Ground-breaking look at the impact of screen time on kids' brains

Researchers in Ohio led a study looking at hundreds of children’s brains since birth to examine the impact of screen time. NBC’s Vicky Nguyen shares an inside look at the study and how parents can help reduce screen time for their kids.
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#screentime #parenting #health

[@Delcinco187]

I would never have seen this video if not for my addiction to screen time

[@sanbetski]

😂

[@Cheybits]

Me too 😂

[@hattiedaws0786]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@neoneherefrom5836]

And now that you have what are you going to about it … probably nothing…

[@psychmatisa]

Exactly

[@onedelacruz7039]

Not only kids, all of us spend too much screen time, this is how technology change human.

[@Stratus41298]

Ug ug change human

[@MrX8503]

True, but it’s much worse for babies.

[@SieMiezekatze]

Change humans **

[@jonmabe254]

Exactly! Most of us are addicted to our electronics and it's destroying our relationships, creativity and productivity.

[@danielwhyatt3278]

Mine is directly connected to my work and learning though, even post Uni, so this’s inevitable for me whether I want it or not.

[@dquiring40]

2:23 is where it starts

[@tknow76]

You're a hero

[@lauraemilycampos]

You are a hero

[@Professor_Giggles]

👑

[@Stratus41298]

Yeah but then you'll miss Carson Daly trying super hard to stay engaged. It's hilarious.

[@ZoeS-u9p]

MVP of 2025

[@AmyMcLean]

We dialed back to almost no screen time when kid was 8. Now a year later she doesn't even miss it! It's so worth it.

[@bburgess5003]

Any tips to your success?

[@AmyMcLean]

@bburgess5003 she'd had a couple instances where she stumbled on a video that scared or bothered her. Even on KZbin kids with half the internet blocked she wasn't safe, so that was a big factor on her end. We knew the risks and hazards with screen time but it just seemed an inevitable part of life at this point. But one day she'd watched videos for almost two hours and when it was time to stop she flipped out. Cranky, screaming, the whole thing. So we just said fine, no more, we're done. If you're going to act like this after screens then there just won't be screens anymore. She actually agreed without much fuss and that was that. We still do family movie nights and she and I watch things together, but no more unsupervised, endless scrolling. She has more time to play with her toys, read, go outside, play with her baby sister and do homework. She hardly even asks for videos anymore.

[@jordyn814]

Yes! I set KZbin kids to 4 and under and the first video recommended was Mr.Beast smh. I just never even gave it to my child since I couldnt be sure what she was watching was appropriate

[@bburgess5003]

@@AmyMcLean So going “cold turkey” worked? I give my son an hour when he gets home from school (unless he has a sport or activity), which usually goes longer bc I’m with my 3 year old. The winter weekends is where we struggle the most bc it’s too cold to go outside for long and we don’t have a lot of money to pay for trampoline parks, bounce houses, etc.

[@yellowmellow4753]

@@AmyMcLeanthis is good and I’m not gonna say it’s not true but especially when she gets into the teen years check for burner phones under pillows and such lol I speak from experience… as well as no computer in the room and check the history of it too … they can get on Instagram from there too..and let teacher know that you don’t want her on social media … different schools have different policies… so you don’t want another kid showing her something… not that it’s the teachers job to enforce but she may choose to help out.

[@Beeleeteecee]

Parents so often use screens to pacify a cranky baby or toddler. They cry, they get the phone or tablet, they quiet down. This hurts childrens’ ability to learn to navigate and cope with their emotions.

[@laridion7901]

Whats crazy is those parents might not know how to aid in the child learning emotional irragulation... or even know that shoving the device in front of their screaming kid is hurting them.

[@Sunray78_1]

Yes, I have seen this too. It becomes a crutch/ coping mechanism for a baby

[@MicahBurns-n3o]

But thank goodness they are finally quiet. 🤐 😅

[@dannielz6]

That drives me crazy when I see it. Reward good behavior not bad behavior! Is that such a hard concept?😂. I used to tell my kid be quiet for 10 minutes first or you're not getting anything! They'll challenge you at first but when they learn you're not kidding the behavior changes pretty quickly.

[@loyaltyiskey]

Bingo!

[@JA-vv8wy]

Speech Therapist here. Screens definitely negatively effect speech, language, and social skill development. This has been known for years and even the Academy of Pediatrics has it on their website but Pediatricians don't bother mentioning to parents at regular visits.

[@stevenpaplan7154]

Our pediatrician always asks about screen time. 27 months and no screen time. Only phone calls and face time with her family in Thailand. And she's bilingual, so it's very important. But that is 2 way communication. I'm sure you know way more than me about that .

[@J.Anita24]

I learned the hard way now I'm re-teaching

[@kdawg2472]

Why is my 2yo speaking full sentences and doing the same activities of kids twice his age? Educational screen time is the key.

[@stevenpaplan7154]

@kdawg2472 no it's not. There are many factors to development. My 2 year old speaks 2 languages fluently, Thai and English, and knows Spanish and sign language, and is speaking in complete sentence. We accredit this to 0 screen time..screen time for us is used to face time family for 2 way communication, big difference. Every kid develops differently. As a dad I notice, boys are nomrally more physically advanced than my daughter. But I notice,.girls advance faster typically with language and other skills. Just the observation I see watching other kids. However, I'm not a doctor or specialist. I don't think you are. There are many scientific studies. For many reasons, they all come up with the same conclusions, screen time is bad for kids under 3. And even than, it has to be limited. Your kids learn stuff from tv I'm sure. But they would learn more if you were reading them a book and they could actively participate in the activity. Not just sit and stare and be told information. Toddlers aren't at the level they need to learn facts. They need to be participating in all activities. They're still trying to understand object permanents! Tv does nothing for them with that. Tv is bad for toddlers. Very thankful we don't do it. It's alot of work to not. Making food is always a struggle. We're 24/7 a part of our child's life. We are the only influence on her. It's important and it's a good feeling. But I completely understand if you do screentime as a matter of giving yourself a break. I don't look down at that at all. It's just not what me and my wife do. And thankful for it. If you want to convince us, just because your kids smart that all the tests and information top leading experts tell us is false..,... That's not happening. But I'm glad your child's doing well. I 100 percent no screen time for as long as possible. It's always easier to give than take away. Babies aren't missing anything when they aren't watching TV. They don't know it exists.

[@stevenpaplan7154]

@@kdawg2472 yt deleted my comment? Writing one again Your child can learn the same educational things from a book. But with a book they can participate with the reader and be part of the activity. with a tv, they are just sitting and watching, taking in information and facts. Toddlers need to learn so much more important things than simply facts. Leading experts and scientists in the field all come up with the same conclusions. Screen time is harmful to kids under 3. Just cause your kid is smart, doesn't change those facts. My daughter is 27 months old and already speaks 2 languages fluently and knows Spanish and sign language. .... No screen time. And she's the most advanced in her class. Just because one person has a child.... Doesn't mean anything in the way of science. Doesn't mean your child wouldn't be more advanced if you were only reading books and playing. But I understand, and don't look down at all. It's really hard being a parent 24 7. Just making a simple meal for my wife and I is always a struggle. But, it's completely untrue to say screentime doesn't effect child development negatively. We know this to be true.

[@mm-cm6kc]

When I was a kid, we watched tv. But it was balanced with playing outside, doing normal things and not being stuck inside a screen bubble. What's happening now is its excessive. Instead of playing with your kid, you give them phones and tablets to play with. When they get bored outside or have tantrums, you have them watch youtube.

[@MiguelY22]

Yup. Some grew up playing a lot of playstation and xbox. But it was exercise for the brain . Now kids just sit there and swipe non sense videos for hours.

[@guyfierimtwi]

1990's born: Balanced educational content 2000's born: Knows life before screens, but still knows how to function without screens 2010's born: Depends on screens often, instead of being a digital native(using PC's, applications, software, etc), social media overtakes them. 2020's born: Addicts

[@Shimanoultegra106]

We also didn’t have unlimited entertainment. We had to wait for the new episode

[@YogiTheBearMan]

We watched the same drawer of vhs tapes or whatever is on a handful of channels for my whole childhood, not as dopamine inducing as the content we have access to now

[@aidethsantiago15]

I was born on 1987 man outdoor was thing!!! Beautiful going outside. If they where to band all social media and this KZbin o well I'd be just fine

[@sonny8988]

Watching this on my phone while ignoring my kids

[@stephgaitan]

IM DEAD

[@heisenberg9739]

@@stephgaitandon’t cause u kinda pretty.

[@disco7128]

😂😂😂

[@jerrysantos7460]

😂😂😂

[@DoofenSpyroDragon16]

Hoping this is a joke…

[@mariachitty1547]

The problem is the parents are glued to the screen as well, so they give their kids a tablet etc, to be left alone. This is one of the reasons why kids speech is delayed. Kids get very addicted to screens.

[@Exodus3360]

Delayed speech? I'd love to see your evidence. As a parent of four kids and an 18 year educator, I have never seen this correlation you're claiming.

[@AandM8]

My 2 year old gets zero screen time and he’s speech delayed. You’re making claims that have no evidence.

[@kloshow9344]

My daughter is 18 months and speaks in full clear sentences that strangers can understand and she gets at least couple hours screen times during the day every day

[@teeminator30]

@@kloshow9344maybe she would have spoken even sooner if there was no screen time? Some kids speak clearly by 15 months.

[@HiThereFaceHere]

​@teeminator30 maybe 1% of kids are speaking clearly at 15 months 😂 most children don't start speaking "clearly" until 4 or 5

[@barbiegrl02]

My son is 5 and before starting kindergarten it was an expectation that he navigate a computer. I didn't navigate one till age 13 because we didn't have any before that!

[@dannielz6]

BS no kid has to learn computer before kinder.

[@alexj.5207]

Do you mean tablet or an actual desktop computer. Either way that's way too young

[@Reptar_roars]

@@drew3693no I was also 13 when I started with a computer and my kid is also just 5. Was born in 1990 if that helps. My parents didn’t get one till I was in juinior high so 13

[@psychmatisa]

He will need one for his job later. Technological literacy will be like reading in this generation

[@jaussaudfamily8961]

yes it is an expectation in school. Even from a very young age.

[@tylerpinkerton2720]

It’s called don’t let them do it all day long. It’s a part of life. You just have to limit it like anything else.

[@sirdudeness1386]

Amen!

[@fireagateshaina]

My parents limited my computer use growing up and it just made me/siblings long to get back on it all the time. Hopefully, IPads are different but I doubt it.

[@dannielz6]

Why do they need it at all?😂

[@Momdalf_the_White]

@@dannielz6 Because it's a great resource for learning, especially if you have limited funds and/or the means to access things like a library because of distance or danger.

[@dafunkmonster]

@@Momdalf_the_WhiteExcept it’s not a great resource for learning, that’s just cope from screen-addicted adults. You know what’s actually a great resource for learning? Playing. With siblings. With neighbor kids. With parents. Inside, outside, doesn’t matter.

[@Christinekueblerartist]

Spend some time in a school. Kids cannot focus and behaviors are horrifying. I think a lot of this relates to screen addiction.

[@CompetitionSportsNetwork]

its not screen addiction, its attention addiction. You'll see kids get all excited all because their comment got a few "likes" on it and their perception of the real world is now distorted because of that. The more attention and "Likes" they can get, the more important they feel but yet they aren't doing anything special which means they can do the simplest things and now get recognition for it.

[@Bre-o6i]

Dopamine

[@sarahj3152]

This is not news...yet our locals school have replaced school books and work sheets with tablets! It's insane.

[@stephaniesamaniego2713]

I agree !! I hate it and they encourage us to have them do screen time …I much prefer miss paper pencil creative activities and more field trips and visits

[@vidz953]

I have a 4 year old and just toured elementary schools. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. No kindergartner needs an iPad. Makes me so sad.

[@user-ii7qv5ij1h]

Pulled my kids out to homeschool during covid. Chose to continue afterwards because of this.

[@irakristanti8547]

When schools are ‘stubborn’, we can complain/write to the Ministry of Education (websites). If Ministry is stubborn, we write to the Presidents/ Prime Ministers. This is what I did. Its what ‘technology’ for, for parents. So easy now, to Google their official websites, or the officials’ profiles (linkedin, facebook, etc)……

[@username00009]

@@vidz953look into alternatives - true Montessori or homeschool. Charlotte Mason methods are great for homeschooling. Your four year old could possibly go into a Montessori Primary classroom instead of kindergarten - the biggest hint that you’ve found a true Montessori is that even the preschool aged classrooms will be calm and quiet, children will have access to everything at their level (including chores), and older children you meet will open doors for adults and may even personally greet you if you visit older classrooms.

[@unboxingstories4633]

My 4 year old daughter got the opposite. She all learned how to read, learned english and good decision making. She learned how to read when she was 2 1/2 year old. Thanks to Ms. Rachel of songs for littles. For me its all about guidance for the parents. Choosing for the kids on what to watch. In my opinion since technology is part of our lives, its best to only limit the screentime and monitor on what our kids are watching

[@HeyImSnappy]

This exactly. I can’t stand when technology gets demonized. This guy in the video literally compared tablets to guns and alcohol? You’re kidding me. Be a responsible adult and supervise your child as they learn to integrate with technology. This is the future folks. Either get with it or get left behind…

[@Momdalf_the_White]

"Your invention will enable them to hear many things without being properly taught, and they will imagine that they have come to know much while for the most part they will know nothing. And they will be difficult to get along with, since they will merely appear to be wise instead of really being so.” -Socrates, on the subject of writting. Every new medium of information and media have their nay-sayers.

[@lizzyp1414]

Exactly, I think it should about teaching them to use screens responsibly and to model good behavior yourself so they can form a good relationship to screentime. My friend has a no-sugar rule with his toddler, and consequently whenever his toddler is at another kid's birthday party he will literally shovel whole cupcakes into his mouth so his dad can't take it away from him. I understand the good intent behind the no-sugar rule but his kid was still exposed to sugar elsewhere anyway, and he still wants to eat sugary things even knowing his dad won't let him. So he formed an unhealthy/irresponsible relationship to sugar, he never learned how to consume sugar in moderation from his parents. Likewise, kids are going to get exposed to screentime at some point, it would be best if you as the parent were the one to guide them on how to use it responsibly.

[@HomecookMaria]

My nephew also learns to read and talk in English because of technology. Let's not demonize it, but rather guide. Because this thing will never go away, we can't go back to Jurassic age, it will only get more and more advanced. Just saying

[@aprilbliss4]

Omg same for my nephew

[@tinglee8]

Age 3 even seems young.

[@sunshinelavender1663]

Right!

[@lovelifelaugh2727]

My son can get a leap frog at 5 no iPad or phone till he can drive lol

[@ellejaym3162]

Agree

[@trophyscene5015]

When smartphones and social media first came out the experts in the news said that you shouldn't give a kid a phone or a screen until they were at least 8 years old. I should have known they were going to lower it eventually, because it impacts the bottom line that they chase after

[@donniethesportsguy893]

30 mins max a day aint gunna hurt anyone. Like every thing else moderation is key

[@CarbonRobloxide]

Strict parents make sneaky kids

[@GoldFreya]

I know for a fact there are several kids in my kid’s 6th grade classroom with 100% unrestricted access to screens outside of school. They are up at 3 or 4am watching hours of Tik Tok’s instead of sleeping. As an adult, if you try and hold a 2 minute conversation with them it’s impossible. They don’t know basic facts, like what the capital of our state is or that the winter solstice is the longest night of the year. They have no interest in anything other than gaming and trying to get famous on social media. It’s so depressing.

[@katieodle7609]

😳

[@lex2951]

A lot of adults don’t know the answer to those questions either

[@Gibbs2Go]

As a gen x, honestly who cares what the capital of the state is. It literally means nothing. I get your point but a lot of these facts that we learn in school is pointless too.

[@Exodus3360]

@@GoldFreya why is it important to you to know pointless facts when it is so simple to look it up on a device within seconds? Knowing what winter solstice is or a state capitol won't make someone successful in life. Also, have you had a conversation with these kids you claim have unrestricted access to their devices? It feels more like you're just making massive assumptions and trying to pass them off as facts.

[@aaronerom]

Man, these comments perfectly proved your point and the saddest part is they can't even see it. Who needs to know that stuff? Who needs to know about where they live?? Everyone should! You're making excuses for CHILDREN. I'm sorry you can't see that you're having as much as a problem as they are, but maybe you should grow up and accept some responsibility. As a teacher, yes I can concur, kids social abilities have tanked and we can thank screens for that. I'm sure knowing which character on fortnite is clearly more important though than knowing basic facts that a 5th grader should be savvy to. Good luck.

[@azazellon]

Before age three? WHOS GIVING INFANTS TECHNOLOGY BEFORE THAT??? three year olds don't NEED phones!!

[@Momdalf_the_White]

My son is about 3.5 and he has had a "phone" for about 2 years. He's a smart kid, knows his ABC's and is getting the beginings of phonetics, can count to 100, recognizes simple and more advanced shapes, is great at problem solving and fixing things when they come apart.. he has 100% access to his phone, except at bedtime. He doesn't choose to spend time on it too often, but when he does he is learning and when we play we reinforce those things he learns. Technology isn't the issue with children, it is the lack of parental involvement.

[@chanelyo1]

Horrible

[@jb11547]

The topic is SCREEN time. A TV also has a screen.

[@Momdalf_the_White]

@@jb11547 I was thinking about this the other day.. does reading a kindle count as "screen time?"

[@rockyshocks101]

This includes TV. It's not that new. I was watching tv and cartoons before age 3 in the 90s. ​@@chanelyo1

[@ihtfp004]

There are medical studies that show a high correlation between child screen time and adulthood addiction.

[@keedee3104]

It’s not ground breaking. People who refused screens for their kids already knew this.

[@mrsevergreentree]

Modern science is always late ..on purpose

[@Blues40]

“Groundbreaking”? Like we weren’t aware of this profound problem? Good job people, you really uncovered a big secret. 🙄

[@BarestTruths]

Working in a school now is so depressing. They aren’t learning anything. When it’s time to read they all open their laptops/tablets. They do math on the computer…writing out a problem with pencil is so important. There’s a large screen completely blocking the chalk boards in every class. Most of the time the teachers are not monitoring the students activity and they are usually just browsing the internet, watching KZbin or playing games. When a young kid has a tantrum they’re given an iPad. They do “brain break” activities on KZbin…most kids opt out and just wander around the room. There is so much screen time that school isn’t even fun. The kids think they want unlimited screen time but it’s so obvious that they are desperate for connections and outlets outside of screens.

[@jennifer7648]

The biggest problem is we as a country are fighting against technology instead of working with it when it comes to education. Dr. Stuart Firestein said it best in his TED talk: The Pursuit of Ignorance. He said: "Thanks to technology we all have all of the answers either in our hands or at our finger tips. We need to change the way we teach. Instead of asking what the correct answer is, we need to say here is the answer, now what is the next question?" Which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant!! If we would switch to teaching like that we would advance much faster and it would be so much easier to get kids to want to be at school. It would be much more fascinating and engaging for them.

[@BarestTruths]

@ I’ll watch the TED talk but I don’t see a countrywide fight against technology. A fight against technology is seen only in small pockets of people that have taken enough space away from it to recognize its destruction. Years ago I decided I wouldn’t use my phone in public spaces for anything more than a quick check and that makes me hyper aware of how attached we all are to these devices. Technology can certainly be better utilized in education but can also simultaneously be greatly reduced. Why have a brain break KZbin video that interest very few students instead of just playing a game? Why not require students to read physical books when they are plentiful and readily available in the school?

[@WetheWinklers24]

We're pretty strict with screen time on our kids, and I used to feel a bit guilty and like I was robbing them of something. After a few months of our restrictions, I realized that giving them a screen is robbing them of their childhood. My daughter's whole personality changed when we cut her off, and she had so much more joy and vibrancy, and she wanted to be with us a lot more. Her imagination exploded as well. It was so beautiful to see.

[@SDpapa]

My 13 year old has a dumb phone, he's not happy, but i am.

[@YearningForTruth]

You are a bad parent for letting a 13 year old have a phone. Now he has access to the cesspool we call internet. You are SO BAD. Tell me you dont vote in society😮

[@madisyngerard7209]

A "dumb phone" is like a flip phone. The opposite of a "smart phone" ​@@YearningForTruth

[@muddymallow80]

College student here, my parents did the same thing to me, I didn't get an actual smartphone till beginning of high school and looking back I'm so so thankful they did that!

[@thilakhari]

@@muddymallow80 Same here, I got mine on April, 2024.

[@ArthurHuizar]

@YearningForTruth Why is it always incompetent people like u with no reading comprehension telling others they shouldn't be able to vote 😭

[@malicemew]

I blame parents. They're indulged in their devices too, don't interact wth their kids or other family members, so kids see that example & indulge in their devices. There's no time limit, just endless hours on devices. It's why kids today lack social skills & have short attention spans. Can only focus for a bit then want their tablets. Schools now rely on devices too. Adults lack the discipline to put their phones down, so why would kids be different? If it's really that concerning, the example starts with us adults modeling healthy behavior.

[@chanelyo1]

They’re addicted -

[@mibo1065]

The art of talking without saying nothing. This reporter and producer mastered this art.

[@Uncommonsenses]

Double negatives never do not bring a smile to my face.

[@kip2creation]

No seriously

[@theresaskurka4033]

This is so good to see. I will cut out my screen time when with my littles. Please keep this relevant in the news…please share on your show often.

[@Michael-up3cf]

Where is the link to the research? Why wouldn’t that be in the description?

[@TSV805]

😉 Because it’s all “correlative” and “suggested” results.

[@CW-zl1bp]

But what did the study ACTUALLY find?

[@alex_jack225]

Exactly my point.

[@Exodus3360]

@@CW-zl1bp nothing because it's ongoing. I guess they know the screen affects the brain, but anyone could say that.

[@Momdalf_the_White]

They definitely blow past the fact all of the subjects were born "very preterm" (less than 32 weeks), and according to their own words, "up to 75% of very preterm infants develop one or more brain abnormalities. And approximately 50% of very preterm infants exhibit delays in brain maturation." I glanced at a couple of the other studies Nehal Parikh was apart of, and it looks like nearly every risk factor they studies was harmful to very preterm babies.. go figure. So I am confused how this study is suppose to be a guide for the average full term- or even preterm at 32+ weeks- child if the cognitive differences of very preterm subjects are more or less guaranteed to at least appear at a deficit comparably.

[@stcross001]

Yeah I generally do agree with less screen time, but this segment felt like boomer bait. I’m expecting a call from my parents today chastising me for working from home because it’s like second hand smoke

[@marmantole]

"Reading, language, and decision making WEAKER in kids with more screen time!" Okay, but how much weaker? 70% .05% How much screen time? 10 hours a day? 30 min a day? These segments are useless.

[@Myrecipes2360]

Every time I give my son a phone, when I turn it off, it takes like 30 minutes to concentrate again!

[@chachi510]

And the tantrums!!!! It’s addictive to them

[@Myrecipes2360]

@chachi510 Yes. I started giving him screen when he was 18 months, and the rest of the months, it was hands-on raising. Reading, playing, taking him outside and toys most especially lovevery toys. The more I gave him the screen, the more he slowly started to lose concentration! He acts wild when I take the phone away from him when it's time to eat and starts throwing tantrums! When we go to eat and i don't give him the phone, he is always good and eats well. I also watch what he watches. Only miss racheal and Blippi, and I usually connect it on tv to avoid the "shorts" swiping addiction, which ends him on other bad videos. But after watching the news about the screen, I have completely taken it away.

[@loveamerica5725]

Then stop giving him the phone.

[@tpjan]

I observed this very early on my daughter when she was around 2 years. So I did a lot to limit the content. She has a brother now. There's a huge difference to what they watch, and how they react. All the shows that constantly changes scenes and the brainwashing nursery rhymes, I completely blocked. That means no KZbin for them. They mostly watch the national TV app as the content there is well made. I always demand that they watch shows or movies where they have a story to follow, because they need their concentration to do that, and there's a lot of dialogue. The media itself is not bad when the content is well chosen, and the screentime is limited. I don't give them tablets as well. They borrow my old phone occasionally during long car rides or if they are sick etc. If my kids want to watch TV, they do it together, and they have to agree on something to watch, which trains their diplomatic skills too. Another positive thing is that they get bored if they don't have the bad/easy content. My daughter of 4 years turns it off by herself after about 1 hour and starts playing instead, because she reaches the viewing satisfaction sooner. Its all about balance.

[@Myrecipes2360]

@loveamerica5725 I had already limited it a long time ago. Now, I have even completely stopped.

[@lilalj07]

I control the screen time and content on my kid's tablets. The tablets shut off at a certain time, or when I feel like shutting them off. There are useful parameters options available. My kids will then find something else meaningful to do like arts and crafts, color, imaginary play etc. It's about balance and being present. This is easier said than done for some. Each parent will figure out what works best for their own kids. Good luck

[@AllegrettoATempo]

Would be nice if they would actually study amounts and types of screen time. In our world where many people can't afford child care and are trying to work from home with their small children, a goal of zero screen time before 3 is so unrealistic that the most at-risk parents/children aren't even going to TRY to meet it. Give people nuanced information and achievable recommendations and they'll be way more likely to actually try and apply it. Part off the problem is we're not meeting these parents where they're at with realistic expectations.

[@aaronerom]

What do you think people have done throughout all of time before smart phones/TV? Dear God people, how far have we regressed???

[@fireagateshaina]

Sounds like the “work at home” person may need a babysitter or day care. An IPad is not a good enough substitute.

[@dweblinveltz5035]

​@@aaronerom people throughout time did not live under our modern circumstances.

[@Debunked421]

Im pretty sure screentime impacts everyone....have you been out in public lately

[@FactChecker71]

They said "premature babies". Aren't babies who are born prematurely more susceptible to delayed development?

[@Momdalf_the_White]

All of the subjects were "very preterm," meaning born before 32 weeks. Cincinnati Children's website has a short article about this segment clarifying some aspects of the study and include this: "Up to 75% of very preterm infants develop one or more brain abnormalities. And approximately 50% of very preterm infants exhibit delays in brain maturation."

[@DoofenSpyroDragon16]

I was premature and I definitely was delayed in development, so yeah I can confirm that 😆

[@KenGaskins-nm3gx]

There is also the possible issue of EMF. A good resource is Peter Rogers MD. I'm sure there are counter arguments that can be found as well.

[@proteuswest1084]

Yes, all of us teachers with degrees in education can’t tell the difference between positive educational content that is on a screen vs non educational content, so we should rely on the suppositions of a morning show instead. Also, as a child who was exposed to screens a lot when they were first becoming more popular in the 80’s and 90’s, I can say that on balance, I learned a lot from educational programming and even more from educational games. My son has a very strong foundation in math because of the shows he watched. Not all parents and teachers who let kids use screens are doing a disservice to the children in their care, and trying to say so is ignorant.

[@Momdalf_the_White]

Even without a degree it is pretty apparent what is educational and what is a waste of time.

[@Crown_Club]

1:34 "looking at the brains of premature babies, from birth-childhood." Why is the study specifically on premature babies?

[@anneshirley95]

Great question. I wonder if that means that they are subjecting their brains to radiation by getting x rays?

[@charles.alvino]

@@anneshirley95 thankfully MRIs don't use radiation (like x-rays do)

[@lg-ii6pm]

When you write a grant proposal it’s studying a particular group of people. This one sounds like it is studying a lot of aspects of brain development for premature babies who are more likely to be developmentally delayed.

[@MiguelY22]

Maybe they said it wrong?

[@sirdudeness1386]

Yeah seems a little premature 😆

[@CreativeExpression101]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the tablet as long as they’re not glued to it 24/7. My son is 3 and loves his tablet. He can read, write and know all colors numbers math etc. he’s above average for his age group. But we also give him extracurricular, one on one time with parents, play with other kids no problem, etc

[@thetaekwondoe3887]

You know you can teach reading, writing, colors, and numbers WITHOUT screens, right?

[@NickMonopoli]

Adults too

[@wu1908]

i know its being nitpicky, but would anyone agree that worksheets on screens are not the same as "screen time" as mentioned in this study. Its about reading and understanding and filling in answers. I guess one difference would be instead of physically holding a pen, you'd need to type in the answer. And one additional "frustation" would be navigating screen proportions and zoom (i guess no issues with tablets/larger screens). Just like artist would tell you there's a difference between drawing digital images and paper drawing. There is a difference, you need different skills to be proficient at each, but are the process in the brain the same? Like imaging what you want draw, execute with your hands that are coordinated with your eyes and mixing matching colours to finally get what you want (we are not including auto generated images and renders in this creation process).

[@THEGlassIED]

It sets a precedent that we need screens to learn the basics. Tech companies want children to think they need screens.

[@Stratus41298]

​@@THEGlassIEDWell whether you like it or not, we are an electronic society. We aren't hand delivering memos to the office next door anymore.

[@jennifer7648]

​@@THEGlassIEDThe biggest problem is we as a country are fighting against technology instead of working with it when it comes to education. Dr. Stuart Firestein said it best in his TED talk: The Pursuit of Ignorance. He said: "Thanks to technology we all have all of the answers either in our hands or at our finger tips. We need to change the way we teach. Instead of asking what the correct answer is, we need to say here is the answer, now what is the next question?" Which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant!! If we would switch to teaching like that we would advance much faster and it would be so much easier to get kids to want to be at school. It would be much more fascinating and engaging for them.

[@simsjw]

This argument is so flawed, and yet parents continue to buy into it, which ultimately makes things worse. The idea that devices are inherently harmful is not 100% true. Everything in moderation, including screen time, can be beneficial. As she mentioned at 5:17, ‘sitting and watching Sesame Street’ is a different experience than just scrolling through KZbin. The real issue is not the device, but how it’s used. The problem is weak parenting. Parents need to invest time in their kids. If you’re sitting with them, watching content together, and actively teaching them, how can that be bad? Devices are not meant to be used as babysitters. And for those who use ‘work’ as an excuse, why have kids if you’re not willing to invest time in them? Kids need hands-on involvement. You can't preach about giving kids choices and making decisions, then turn around and claim that screen time is automatically harmful. If a child spends 3 hours a day on a tablet learning another language, is that really bad? Asking for a friend!"

[@Momdalf_the_White]

I have yet to find a decent study about screentime, yet people who never even looked repeat it's "proven fact." You are 100% right, the actual difference is the quality of parents and quanity of parental engagement.

[@AlwaysBelieveChrist112]

Could you provide any additional details about the study or the name of the journal where it was published would be helpful.

[@WildManTrailCam]

Not all types of screen time are equal. Differentiation in these studies is key.

[@EEDad401]

This is the kind of stuff you should be reporting on. Thank You.

[@Lmkheather]

My child is a pre-K GENIUS. Thanks to my hard work as a single mom and *supervised screen time*

[@Jade-902]

😂

[@nathanh6439]

So, what it looks like here is that a small group of a subset of children that are more likely to have developmental delays and in a specific geographic area are showing signs of reduced activity in parts of the brain that may relate to communication and decision making skills. Interesting. Now they just need to replicate this with other children in other parts of the world.

[@Momdalf_the_White]

It's extremely subset. Not only strict to the specific 5 NICU's in Ohio, it is only "very preterm" babies (

[@PeterSramka]

So no one bothered to say how much screen time is ok. How can I make any meaningful changes in my life if there are no numbers?

[@davidrudd4869]

@@PeterSramka use your screen and google

[@Momdalf_the_White]

Noone bothered to clarify that all the subjects of the study were born extremely premature and have a 75% rate of developing one or more brain abnormalitelies either. This study is being misrepresented as "kids vs screentime" when it really amounts to "babies born before 32 weeks have brain developement delays." It is definitely not appropriate to be using it to inspire meaningful changes in the average child- or adults- life.

[@PeterSramka]

@@Momdalf_the_White Thank you for the additional context. It is quite helpful.

[@Christy0-0]

My sister had a baby last year, and they've been video chatting with mom nearly every day

[@cyndiipanda]

I don’t think video chatting counts. It’s like the KZbin and stuff. At least that’s what they were saying during Covid 😅

[@Christy0-0]

@cyndiipanda but it's not like KZbin, because they get a response that a pre-recorded video wouldn't be able to give.

[@k8cbits0718]

I think it’s also important to take into account that classrooms are attempting to adjust for the average student who very likely has easy access to a tablet or screen at home. Because of the parents own behaviors - be it their own screen time or how often they use a screen as a solution, to widely variable degrees by household/parent/child - in combination with the influence of post-covid learning techniques, requires a clear balance between traditional and modern teaching methods.

[@Exodus3360]

@@k8cbits0718 schools aren't making decisions to implement technology because of what happens at home. Not sure how you drew that connection.

[@jennifer7648]

The biggest problem is we as a country are fighting against technology instead of working with it when it comes to education. Dr. Stuart Firestein said it best in his TED talk: The Pursuit of Ignorance. He said: "Thanks to technology we all have all of the answers either in our hands or at our finger tips. We need to change the way we teach. Instead of asking what the correct answer is, we need to say here is the answer, now what is the next question?" Which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant!! If we would switch to teaching like that we would advance much faster and it would be so much easier to get kids to want to be at school. It would be much more fascinating and engaging for them.

[@humans.from.earth.]

@3:42 the shared family experience is an essential pillar of my work

[@shanwisethehalfling]

It’s so true. As a former ELA teacher, if more grown-ups advocate for less screen time, it WILL happen. We weren’t able to garner support at either school I worked at to have less screens. I noticed a vast improvement in paper assignments and guided notes versus on a computer. In Florida, not all schools have funding to print everything on paper. I was told that I would have to pay for my own paper and ink, so I couldn’t afford to do it. To combat this, I used physical textbooks as long as I can. I didn’t last long as a teacher due to my feelings of fighting with the grain. If you are a grown-up who is concerned about screen time, bring it up with your child’s school, and gather other concerned grown-ups to speak out. ~

[@Matucks]

There is no end to this downward spiral. Every single age group is compromised. We all feel the need to be connected 24/7 and every new technology is geared towards that behavior. I'm tired of adults and parents acting as if they don't the same and how it destroys our lives also.

[@MO-bo2du]

I don't trust these results. It says screen time negatively impacts a child's reading and language development. This doesn't match my experiences though. My kids all learned to read faster/better by playing games with text-based stories. It's like reading an interactive book. I don't believe that this is detrimental (all things in moderation of course). This video made no distinction about WHAT the kids were doing on their devices, just that it was "screen time". I'm sorry but I'm not buying it.

[@nnamdioffor4362]

Exactly the same here. They really need to start differentiating, not all "screen time" is the same.

[@niqhtt]

There isn't that much reading involved in phone apps. And even then they just follow pictures and skip words. When every button went to a stupid icon instead of descriptive word... that was the starting representation of how everything was going to go.

[@jennifer7648]

The biggest problem is we as a country are fighting against technology instead of working with it when it comes to education. Dr. Stuart Firestein said it best in his TED talk: The Pursuit of Ignorance. He said: "Thanks to technology we all have all of the answers either in our hands or at our finger tips. We need to change the way we teach. Instead of asking what the correct answer is, we need to say here is the answer, now what is the next question?" Which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant!! If we would switch to teaching like that we would advance much faster and it would be so much easier to get kids to want to be at school. It would be much more fascinating and engaging for them.

[@niqhtt]

@@jennifer7648 You are very optimistic on their critical thinking and problem solving ability.

[@jennifer7648]

@niqhtt Yeah I know. I keep hoping one day....

[@shareofmoney]

All of us could stand less screen time, not just children. Its about moderation and creating environments where life can be experienced outside of screen time.

[@AGCYPrivy]

We’re guilty of letting our 4 yr old watch screens too much but he’s pretty much only watching educational shows, and regularly blows our minds with some of the stuff he’s learned so it’s tough to roll it back now!

[@mmcmmc4241]

They didn't mention all the benefits that outweigh the negatives

[@cend2362]

as someone whose brain was effed by video games I'm experiencing those symptoms and am so glad they're looking at this finally

[@Charlie-om2sl]

I’m watching this with my 1-year old right now

[@julian7719]

When I was a kid, my parents had to worry about second-hand smoke inhalation at public restaurants. Now, newer generations have to worry about profound intellectual impacts of high-resolution-high-frame-rate exposure.

[@smicha15]

As an ADD guy growing up, it was clear that TV could either be a dumb pastime, or it could be a great learning tool. It’s really difficult to learn from dumb tv. The most important way to learn from screens is to constantly compare content like games and shows to real life, while playing games and watching shows and movies. This is something I didn’t learn until highschool, so I can only imagine how much of a detriment screens are now to kids who don’t understand this crucial thinking process when using screens.

[@MicahBurns-n3o]

Watching this on my iPhone 📱👍

[@gatorguysix7631]

I’m standing firm with my daughters. I want them to look and different than the world I’m seeing.

[@catherinethompson6531]

Thank you so much for this! Keep spreading the word

[@leahr8323]

Does this also go for kids watching tv shows that are educational and limited to an hour a day?

[@msin148]

Step 1 create the problem step 2 tell everyone there is a problem step 3 rinse and repeat

[@datsme8986]

This study's methodological weakness lies in the absence of a control group: a comparison cohort of children from a time before prevalent screen time, such as 10 or 20 years ago. 🤔

[@thraxxed8618]

Thank you

[@Frantastic78]

Like anything it depends. My now 7 year old has had a tablet for several years and a Nintendo Switch since he was five. Yet his reading scores are among the top of his class and complete strangers always compliment how well spoken he is. Especially after finding out how old he is. He knew his alphabet, could count high, and knew the planets in our solar system in order before going to preschool. He loves getting a new book and reading before bed. He bikes and does Judo.

[@kaniala67]

Personally, I love that my kids (5 y.o. & 2 y.o.) can navigate the basics of my phone or the tablet. Let's face it, life goes on and technology will advance whether we like it or not. Like this video stated, they will never know a world before a smartphone and the little to no screen-time world most of us grew up in is long gone. In my experience - moderating when, how long, and especially WHAT they watch/play is what really will "affect" the impact on their brains either negatively or positively. And that part is 100% up to the parents/caretakers to be responsible for

[@jennifer7648]

The biggest problem is we as a country are fighting against technology instead of working with it when it comes to education. Dr. Stuart Firestein said it best in his TED talk: The Pursuit of Ignorance. He said: "Thanks to technology we all have all of the answers either in our hands or at our finger tips. We need to change the way we teach. Instead of asking what the correct answer is, we need to say here is the answer, now what is the next question?" Which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant!! If we would switch to teaching like that we would advance much faster and it would be so much easier to get kids to want to be at school. It would be much more fascinating and engaging for them.

[@constitutionallyconscious165]

Let me explain it for you. The more your children are on the phone the more they lose their ability to have a long attention span. AKA tictok brain. Your only able to pay attention for 15- 30 seconds at a time instead of 2- 3 hours of focus.

[@asiliria]

the power of business and proprietary software

[@weltschmertzz]

Watching this on my phone after work

[@megan893]

Was the secondhand smoke part is where it got me. That definitely hit different 😬

[@chantelnicole5107]

I can’t believe we need science to see and understand the severe negative impacts of children being raised on screens. And 3 years old is still way too young.

[@ScootyNums]

It's about moderation. A little here and there as long as theyre still playing and learning in between is important. 10 mins a time isnt terrible. My 3 year old watches a little, gets up and plays. He just made 3 and is already writing his letters and knows big words for his age like "fragile" and "deflate."

[@peej91]

Depends on what they are watching.. my kid has been learning a lot from it too

[@tedjammers]

I like what the guy on the right said.

[@TSV805]

1:43 Notice he says CORRELATE. Typically, they can’t say anything about causation. “Suggest” and “correlate”. Just pay attention to this kind of research.

[@sykocase247]

Never says the results Real groundbreaking there 😉👍🤣

[@The_Hoard422]

It also is causing our eyes to elongate. Essentially cutting out sight for long distance to focus up close for longer times without straining the eye. It slowly grows elongated to make up for it and can cayse you to need glasses, or even blindness if serious enough of a case

[@jennifer7648]

🤦 The exact same thing was said about reading books too much when kids were reading them all the time.

[@bolztyle]

this video literally never said the impact it has. waste of time

[@blackcat799]

Okay so they didn't actually share their results?? This was more of an opinion piece and the scientists didn't actually tell us what they learned. They just said they were doing it and that they're learning from it but they didn't say what they learned from it. So this whole thing is ridiculous

[@koicaine1230]

FYI: Check App Permissions BEFORE you download them because most of these Apps want to record AND take pictures of your child while they are using their device, even when they aren't using that App. I don't understand how this is even legal because it's absolutely predatory behavior from the developers of the Apps and there's a high likelihood this "data" ends up on very bad websites.

[@unclephill2048]

Watching this video on my phone

[@JeremyAndersonBoise]

I heard a lot of yapping, but I didn’t see any data at all, none, zero, this is non-scientific. To be clear, I agree, but I need to see numbers, charts, trendlines, something that is not a series of appeals to emotion or analogies to tobacco. This passes for journalism?

[@nimageofmine]

In addition to parenting, I think the second big issue is school as mentioned in the video as well. My kindergartner keeps asking me for iPad and the apps they use at her school. Its so hard to even have a conversation when they don't get what they want (iPad) along with all the tantrums. All could be prevented if schools don't hand over digital tools to kids in early age.

[@PatrickPair-c2w]

I didn’t have screen time until I was 20 and I can have all the screen time I want now

[@eros727]

This feels like what they used to say about “violent video games “. Or when TV first came out and it’s “negative” effects on society.

[@freeindeed8416]

There was great truth to it

[@jennifer7648]

The biggest problem is we as a country are fighting against technology instead of working with it when it comes to education. Dr. Stuart Firestein said it best in his TED talk: The Pursuit of Ignorance. He said: "Thanks to technology we all have all of the answers either in our hands or at our finger tips. We need to change the way we teach. Instead of asking what the correct answer is, we need to say here is the answer, now what is the next question?" Which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant!! If we would switch to teaching like that we would advance much faster and it would be so much easier to get kids to want to be at school. It would be much more fascinating and engaging for them.

[@psychmatisa]

Exactly

[@psychmatisa]

@@freeindeed8416no there wasn’t. It all got debunked and what was shown was that good parenting was the moderating factor, ie is there a good parent who disciplines along with TV and video games. If there is, like everything in life, this child is shown moderation

[@freeindeed8416]

@@psychmatisa So you prove my point. Without good parenting it could have a negative effect

[@Rombizio]

I removed my kid's electronics. He is 100% better. Behaviour changed for the better as well as concentration and sleep cycle.

[@xoneshotx]

Those who havent raised kids got the most opinions

[@jhfranklin253]

Watched this on a iPad and have only watched the Today show on a screen.

[@shutinalley]

We did this to ourselves because business is more important.

[@Hexspa]

I’ve always encouraged parents to actively enrich their kids, that’s all I’ll say.

[@tylertreese3150]

Kids definitely can learn from technology, comparing it alcohol and violence is WILD. It’s when technology isn’t paired with a complete experience and is relied on as the only mode of engagement or learning. Especially in the home.

[@sincerely.ashleyv]

Absolutely!!! 💯

[@pay10svarietyshow63]

What is the name of the study? Where can I find it?

[@Kennistry]

Finally some talk of technological age regulation and how it impacts our growth

[@jennifer7648]

Very similar things were said about books when they came out and kids started spending what adults thought was too much time reading.

[@Kennistry]

@ I see, a fear running rampant since about 2100 BCE

[@jennifer7648]

The problem with people who say this kind of thing is they are the same type of people who said the exact same things about kids who seemed to be addicted to books and couldn't put them down. Now they are highly regarded and even pushed on kids to read!

[@bigprocrastinator]

Fascinating report. Watching it now. My kids are glued to the screen.

[@Think-Harder-Duh]

Read the anxious generation. This isn’t news. This really has been known for some time now. There’s lots of research out there, people just don’t have the ease of access to it.

[@roygnebiv]

And a lot of entities don't want that info spread or they will lose lots of money. As I type on my stupid smart phones 🙃

[@5MofMS]

Great book

[@crystalj3617]

Bingo!

[@guyfierimtwi]

"people just don’t have the ease of access to it." - Did you see life in 2024?

[@Think-Harder-Duh]

I’m talking about actual research articles/studies from science journals. Not sure what you’re trying to say…