Children Too Wired?

Are children too wired into technology these days?

How about---on the average---75 hours each week? Seems like a lot, but that’s how much time children are spending using electronics, which means less time doing the things kids need to do---just run around.

According to a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average 8- to 18-year-old kid spends 2 ½ hours a day listening to music, around 5 hours watching TV or movies and 3 hours on the Internet or with video games. And this doesn’t include the time they spend texting or talking on cell phones. Compare that to the 38 minutes each day they spend just doing old fashion reading.

But even smaller kids are affected. A separate study found that kids 2 to 5 are better at using computers and cell phones then they were at some of what we consider basic life skills, tying a shoe, learning to swim or knowing how to ride a bike.

So, are these kids too wired in today? Probably? But many parents and some experts agree that learning technology is important for these children’s future. However, it should be balanced with other basic life skills. Plus, disconnecting from the online world can get kids outside this summer more and that can help not only keep them fit but also allow them to socialize in an unstructured way with others during this important developmental period.

So, your best bet is to simply limit how much time they can be online, on the phone or watching TV. You might be met with protests at first but your children will have tons of fun this summer doing what children do best, just running around.