Children are gaining access to devices earlier than previous generations as the use of technology rises in the United States. Generation Z and onward are the first generations to grow up in the technological era. I see my younger cousins watching YouTube videos instead of playing with American Girl dolls or jumping in mud puddles like I did at their age. Parents should limit access to these devices and add parental restrictions.
In 2016, 85% of parents living in the United States allowed their children to use technology including smartphones, tablets, computers and television, according to the Erikson Institute. This means that most American children do not have the same level of parental guidance as before 2016. Growing up, I was allowed 30 minutes of television daily. Today’s children, on the other hand, blast Cocomelon in restaurants, doctor’s offices, and other public places instead of interacting with family and the outside world. I see this as an epidemic because my 1-year-old cousins should not be watching more television than me.
On average, American children spend four to seven minutes a day playing outside compared to at least seven hours in front of a screen, according to Sanford Health. I find this concerning because there are so many fundamental skills children learn when they go outside. Growing children need to improve their sensory skills, attention spans as well as their social and cognitive development.
When they do not go outside to play, children miss out on crucial interactions with people their age. When I was in elementary school, recess was my favorite time because I was able to spend 30 minutes chatting with my friends about the latest Percy Jackson book. Now kids these days do not even read because they are constantly glued to screens.
Parents are also growing concerned over their children’s addiction to technology. Around 71% of parents with a child under the age of 12 are at least somewhat concerned their child spends too much time on a screen, while 31% of parents are very concerned, according to Pew Research Center. Technology is so new that so many parents could not have foreseen these effects on children. When parents working 9-5 jobs come home, it is often easier to give their child an iPad than to answer hundreds of questions about random things. Personally, I am tired after a long day of classes and my part-time job, so I cannot imagine how tired parents are after an eight-hour workday and a child at home.
When kids are on devices, they are often unsupervised and have unlimited access to the internet. Pew Research Center found that 46% of parents say their child 11 and younger who watched YouTube has encountered videos that were inappropriate for their age. When I had my first iPod at age 11, my parents picked the apps I could have and took it away when I reached my screen limit for the day. In the Digital Age, it is not just average people having access to screens, but also people who don’t have the best intentions for children. When kids have unrestricted access, they are more likely to be exposed to dangerous people, material and media.
I think technology is educational and a useful tool for children when used correctly. Parents should limit their kids’ access to only educational and appropriate content, supervise what is being interacted with and incorporate more outdoor activities to balance out screen-time.