Here's A Healthy Media Diet For Your Toddler

How much television is too much television? While it’s important to keep up with the changing times, a continued exposure to technology can actually do more harm than good. Read on to find out why says Dr Sheetal Bidkar, clinical pcsychologist, Suasth One Step Clinic

- Sheetal Bidkar

Millennials are born into the world of digital devices, and digital parenting seems to be the need of the hour. TV, smartphones, tabs, laptops, etc are now regarded as family members. As parents, we are figuring out what role these new gadgets should play in the lives of our young children. On one hand, we are flooded with educational videos and channels for engaging young minds; on the other hand, we parents have found ourselves guilty and confused about the duration of our child’s screen time. Every parent is bombarded with conflicting advice, and hence face that long-debated question: is this ideal and safe? Can we claim to know more today about how babies interact with these gadgets than we did even four or five years ago? Let’s clear this confusion today!

The connection between screen time and healthy development

Your little one is yet to experience many things and in this process the right exposure and assistance from you, can make the journey easy. Keep in mind that each choice you make for your child may have a significant or permanent impact on his life. When it comes to screen time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends keeping all screens off around babies and toddlers younger than 18 months. They say a little screen time can be okay for older babies; children two years and older should get no more than an hour of screen time per day.

AAP also added that limiting the screen time is not enough; parents need to very careful and must choose high quality shows and games to show their children. A parent’s assistance is also equally important while a child is engaging with this electronic babysitter.

SOME COMMON CONCERNS ARE AS BELOW: