Community Corner
How Much ‘Media Time’ Do You Allow Your Children?
A new report recommends parents only allow up to two hours of media time a day for their children.
By Les Masterson
Unrestricted media use is having serious consequences for children and parents need to clamp down, recommends a new American Academy of Pediatrics policy.
The policy suggests parents should limit their children to two hours of media time a day. That includes TVs, computers and smartphones.
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Dr. Victor Strasburger, lead author of the policy, said “many parents are clueless” about the impact media time is having on children,reported the Associated Press.
A 2010 report found that U.S. children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend an average of more than seven hours daily using entertainment media – and some youths are texting and on their smartphones after their parents go to bed.
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What do you think? Do you think two hours of media time is a good limit? Do you think it goes too far? Or do you think it doesn’t go far enough? Let us know in the comment section below.
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