As technological innovations are fast rising, it's undeniable that humans are currently living in the digital age. Nowadays, most if not all people in the world either has a cellphone or a tablet and this is strongly noticeable on teenagers and kids.
In this age of digital technologies, children are deeply immersed in digital media that most of the time parents are not aware that it could both have positive and negative effects on the kids' development. That is why the largest group of pediatrician in the United States recently came up with a new set of guidelines and recommendations that includes an interactive planning tool to help and assist parents in balancing our children's digital and real life.
Acknowledging the huge role of digital media in the children's life, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released these recommendations to help parents in this quest. They also published an interactive planning tool called Family Media Use Plan for this purpose.
As per AAP recommendations that was emailed to Parent Herald, children below 18 months should not be allowed to use screen media. They also stated that children between the ages of 2 to 5 years old should only limit their screen time to an hour a day of good quality programs and parents should co-view with them.
They also recommend that children 6 years old and above should limit the use of media and the types that they watched to ensure that they still get enough sleep. Lastly, they also recommend that parents should designate media-free times as a family and ensure that they have an open communication about online citizenship, safety and respecting others in this digital age.
Meanwhile, AAP's interactive online tool, Family Media Use Plan, was launched on HealthyChildren.org on Oct. 21, 2016. The tool included platform that allows users to both consume and create content. The tool was reportedly ready for the public on Oct. 31 while a preview version was made available for journalist to review.
With all that said, parents should be watchful on the time their children spent online, especially for kids 6 years old and below. By limiting digital media for kids and teens, parents are ensuring the holistic growth of kids as individuals, as well as their developmental health.
