If you were out in public and saw a parent giving a cigarette to a toddler you would likely be calling the Department of Human Services, and rightly so. Yet there is pervasive use of another toxic item that most of us simply do not question enough: the smartphone.
To be frank, it is everywhere. From cafes, restaurants, waiting rooms, trains, buses, even your local park, you will see a young person transfixed by a small device in their hands that they are ill equipped to process at such a young age.
To be sure, all humans are intuitively equipped to practically use a phone. Children are fascinated by the magic of the touch screen and the simplicity in which they can navigate its various offerings, but when the research is so abundantly clear that phone use is damaging to development, it is remarkable that so many parents are either oblivious to this reality or they simply do not care.
When our child was born two years ago we promised to guard against the temptation to stick a mobile phone or iPad in front of her. I am pleased to say that my wife and I have thus far remained true to our intent. Sure, there is the odd Wiggles video shown on the television after a long day (all parents need a break), but the iphone is off limits, for good reason.
According to research endorsed by the World Health Organisation, extended periods of time passively watching screens is detrimental to health, particularly for very young children. They have greater risk of negative impacts on their social, emotional, and cognitive development and sleep quality and quantity.
Yet parents do not seem to be listening. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, estimates from primary research suggest only 17–23 percent of preschoolers and 15 percent of 5–12 year olds meet screen-time guidelines. These guidelines being that no child under 2 should have access to screens, no more than one hour per day for children aged 2-5 years, and no more than 2 hours a day for children older than 5 (not including schoolwork).
These findings are not surprising when one simply looks around. Large family gatherings at restaurants will often feature young children disengaged from the world around them because they are playing a game on an iPad. One wonders how children are supposed to learn social skills and indeed be an active participant in family engagements if parents are teaching them that it is perfectly acceptable to ignore everyone for extended periods of time.
By now, I am certain I have alienated many readers, but if you are still with me, let me be clear: parenting is hard. I get it. Young children need constant stimulation and with our busy and demanding lives it is an understandable temptation to find brief respite by gifting a child smart technology.
Understandable, however, should not mean acceptable. We need to ask ourselves what sort of human we wish to create. Children demand stimulation because they need to actively engage with the world and the people around them. It is how they learn, develop and grow. Time devoted to screens denies them this opportunity. It is, to be frank, a lazy substitute for proper parenting. A less understanding critic would call it neglect.
Screen time benefits parents, it does not benefit children. Respite now means consequences later, ranging from increased risk of poor academic performance due to short attention spans, difficulty forming healthy social bonds, and general disengagement from immediate family. A decade from now, parents should not be surprised if their teenage child shows little interest in actively engaging with them. The child was raised that way after all.
Too judgmental? Probably. Justified? Absolutely. Too much mobile phone use in young children needs to be stigmatised. They are the cigarettes of our generation. Cigarettes were once popular and highly promoted until we collectively discovered the fatal truths about consuming them. It follows that if there is widespread use of something known to be harmful then it should rightly be off bounds for children’s use. Perhaps we need to judge a little more, for our children’s benefit.
We are just a few days from Christmas. Families and friends will be gathering around the country to share stories, gifts and love. It is a special time, especially for children. One hopes that all of them will enjoy time with those around them, socialising, playing, laughing. In essence, living the experience denied every time they stare into a screen.
The Thought Hub 
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