Wyatt Phipps

Professor Calhoun

English 1201

29 March 2020

How excessive amounts of screen time negatively affect a child’s developing

brain

Three out of the five people that live in my house are kids, and it is very

reasonable to say that my sisters and I are spending way too much time looking at

screens. Even my mom spends a good amount of her time on screens. I find it so

intriguing that the world has become so isolated due to a virus, at the same time that I

have been researching and exploring the effects of excessive screen time. My parents

have discussed the possible harmful effects with me for as long as I can remember.

Now that we are even more limited to at home activities, the issue is even more

pressing. I find myself, my sisters, and all of my friends spending more and more time

using our screens as the Coronavirus pandemic goes on. My friends and I usually would

be playing basketball at the park or working during our free time, however, our

opportunities to be out of the house are drastically limited due to social distancing. The

fact that all school work and some peoples’ jobs are online because of the current state

of panic doesn’t help with time spent on computers and phones. When students go to

school there are so many more chances to work hands on with pencil and paper, and it

is much easier to socialize face to face. All of our transitions between classes and

different activities provide real world experiences that have now been taken away from

us since we are forced to be home. I have read several articles about kids and screen
time while doing my research. Excessive amounts of screen time negatively affect a

child’s developing brain, academic success, health and wellness, along with aggressive

behavior.

“Screens” can include many different devices. Ever since my grandma’s

generation were children, some type of screen has been accessible to kids. In the most

recent years, screens are more easily accessible than ever. Almost every time I walk

into a store, restaurant, or even sporting event, I see a toddler with a phone or tablet in

their hands. I understand that it is an easy way to entertain young kids during errands,

however, once you start relying on a screen to keep a young child busy it can be hard to

keep them off of them. In Benedict Carey’s article, “Is Screen Time Bad for Kids’

Brains?”, he reminds an older generation, “If parents stop and think about it many of

them if not most watched several hours of TV per day. The kids of today’s generation

are more similar to past generations than everyone seems to think.” As Carey states,

most parents watched multiple hours of television per day. In today’s era of tech there

are so many types of devices that are lying around the house, not just the TV.

Access to the internet broadens the choices and activities we can all find to fill

our time. A study conducted in 2017 by the PEW Research Center found that eighty

four percent of average American houses own a smartphone in them and eighty percent

have a desktop or laptop computer. In the article, the PEW Research Center reports

“​Some eighty four percent of American homes own at least a single smartphone,

according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in the fall of 2016.

Desktop and laptop computers are nearly as common – eighty percent of houses
contain at least one of these devices.”​ That shows how much more technology has

become mainstream during the last few generations. As tech continues to evolve and

be released, it will only become easier for everyone to obtain. Screens are not really a

luxury for families anymore. They are the norm, and even considered a necessity to

most U.S. families. Most of us can’t imagine our homes or how we would be living

without them.

To begin, screen time negatively affects childhood development in the area of

overall wellness. Sleep is vital in childhood development. In looking at the health of

children Amy Morin, in her article “How Too Much Screen Time Can Hurt Kids and Their

Families” says that “​Even though most parents use screens as a way to call down

before bed, it can backfire. Screens emit blue light which manipulates the brain into

thinking it is time to be awake, which leads to an irregular sleep schedule and can lead

to insomnia.​” When I was younger I would play on my iPod touch before bed and I

would then have trouble sleeping that night and wonder why that was. Eventually my

mom asked our family pediatrician at a checkup appointment and he explained that the

blue light my iPod was giving off was bad before bed because blue light boosts attention

and makes the brain think it is time to be awake. I felt like my iPod was relaxing me,

helping me unwind and kind of zone out to be able to drift off to sleep. Even though I

was in bed, and felt relaxed, the light of the screen was stimulating my brain. Part of

good health seems to be to try to keep yourself, and for parents, to keep their children

on a schedule. Once you start playing a game or watching videos, sometimes it almost

feels like a time warp, you don’t realize how quick all of the screen time accumulates.
Screen time absolutely cuts into sleep time and makes it harder for children to get the

rest that they need.

Another way screens negatively contribute to childhood development is how they

contribute to inactivity. Learning to exercise and eat right is key. Morin says that

“​Excessive amounts of sedimentary activities like gaming or watching TV can lead to

obesity.” ​ There are some games and computer activities that encourage activity, such

as exercise or dance games. Mostly though, screen time means sitting still. While your

mind may be busy, your body is stationary. I have heard the expression, “Sitting is the

new smoking”. Sometimes after I have played games for so long that my legs feel stiff to

even try to stand up, I think about that phrase. Again, because your mind is engaged in

activity, being on a screen makes you feel like you are busy. However, your body may

not move for hours. ​Due to the Coronavirus and me not being able to go outside, my

screen time has skyrocketed these past couple weeks. I can personally say that when I

am in my room playing Xbox that I don’t feel as happy and healthy as I do when I am

outside in the sunshine.

Another area of wellness that I explored was how social media can negatively

impact a child’s sense of him or herself. ​In her video ​Screenagers,​ Delaney Ruston MD,

found that teenagers' view of themselves can be skewed depending on what their

friends think of what they post on social media. She says, “the thing that matters is not

whether you’re a good person, It is how you look.” Being a teenager in the era of

screens, I can agree with Dr. Ruston’s quote. Social media is a place where there are

more molds to fit into. More than ever, there are more people telling you how you should
do certain things, look, or even dress. Now I know that boys typically do not care as

much about self image, or at least pretend not to, as girls. But, my sisters are both

younger and I can already see the effects of the molds wearing off on them. I have

heard my 12 year old sister say things to my mom about how she wishes she was

prettier, or looked like certain people. Of course my mom tells her she ​is​ pretty, but at

12, what my mom thinks is no match for what Instagram or Snapchat are saying. I think

social media is a big factor in why my fifteen year old sister is more withdrawn and

introverted. She is just not able or willing to “compete” with what she sees other girls her

age doing online. She feels overwhelmed by what global influencing platforms tell her

she “should” care about and look like. Social media is the key place for teenagers to

bully each other based on looks and views of one another. According to a study

conducted by i-Safe foundation, “​Over half of teenagers and kids have been made fun

of online, and about the same number of kids have taken part in cyberbullying.” Screens

make it easier than ever to harass and bully people, simply because the opportunity to

do so is at everyone’s fingertips 24/7. Hiding behind a screen is much different than

saying something outright to someone else’s face. That physical distance makes us all

braver. Yet the outcome can be just as hurtful. Self confidence is something that is a

necessity to developing children. The manner in which children view themselves will go

with them all throughout life.

Many detriments to socialization are recognized in the articles. In her article “Too

Much Screen Time Can Have Lasting Consequences for Young Children's Brains”

Alice Park says, “A lot of time spent on screens is linked to lessened progress on key
developmental measures like problem solving, communication and social skills among

younger kids over time.” It is important for parents to create playdates for their kids at a

young age rather than just give them video games to play. Playdates challenge kids to

develop social skills which are a necessity in the real world. Eventually, in order to

operate independently from your parents, you have to be able to hold a conversation

with someone. Face to face relationships also develop people skills. If you are exposed

to a lot of different types of people who have different beliefs, political views and morals,

then that will lead to knowing how to have good negotiation skills and how to be

respectful of everyone. In her article, “The Importance of Social Skills: Raising a Socially

Intelligent Child”, Monica Lake PsyD, says that “Social skills are sometimes used as a

prediction of future success which makes them one of the most important skills a childs

develops throughout early stages of life.” Lake goes on to say “ Researchers from Duke

University and Pennsylvania State University found that the youth who scored higher on

social skills tests were about four times more likely to graduate from a university or an

undergraduate institution than a child who does score well on the social skills.

Social skills have also been linked to real world success such as at a job,

independence, and with emotions.” Early childhood is such a critical time for kids to

learn how to engage with other people. If they are spending an abundant amount of

time living in a virtual world on their devices, they are missing out on the modeling

available to them watching other people go about the tasks of daily life and interacting

with each other. As children get older, they are constantly developing social skills that

will carry with them to adulthood. Many job skills and interview techniques begin with
knowing how to speak to other people, and work well in a group or on a team. My

parents are both teachers and believe that kids learn best by being immersed in an

activity. If what children are immersed in most is gaming, then that is what they will

know the best. Socialization skills do not only have an effect on a developing child’s

stages in early life when making friends and figuring out the world but, it drastically

contributes to their academic success and everyday life as an adult.

Likewise, screen time can also negatively affect a child’s academic success.

Kiersten Willis, in her article “New Scans Show How Screen Time Affects Children’s

Brains Compared to Reading” says, “Children that spent more time using screens had

lower literacy skills and had a harder time using verbal language or naming objects

fast.”

This picture shows how unorganized a child’s brain is when taking in information

from a screen. Carey reports, “excessive use of screens was linked to lower scores on

some aptitude tests …” Even without research this seems to make sense to me. Most

screen interaction lacks rigor. Games are supposed to be fun, and so are set up to be

something that kids can accomplish without too much effort. Or, screen activities are

designed to just be “veg out” type activities and kids really are not learning too much
from them. Somewhere through the generations, children have been catered to so

much that they believe everything should be fun and pleasurable. We are actually doing

a disservice to kids when we constantly provide them with an easy way out for spending

time and getting through things that would be boring or somewhat hard. My parents

always tell us stories about how as kids, they often just had to sit and be quiet, or help

complete a family chore. Instead, now tablets and phones are handed to kids just to

keep them quiet instead of participating or engaging in an activity that could teach them

some stamina and endurance for future situations in life that may be difficult.

Finally, a huge problem with screen time is how it can negatively influence a

child’s sense of right vs. wrong. Aggressive behavior is another huge concern for

parents and teachers. Amy Morin says, “Being exposed to the violence of TV shows,

movies, music, and video games can lead to kids becoming desensitized to it.” I was

surprised to see that aggressive behavior could come from technology but, when I

thought about it, it made more sense because of all the violent video games there are in

the world and how critical they could be to a young child's developing brain. The rating

on violent video games is ages 18 and up but, I can remember people I know that used

to play them as early as the first grade. In the first grade kids have a pretty decent

understanding of common sense and right from wrong although, all it takes is one kid to

recreate something they saw in the game for things to go very wrong. Participating in

violence, even if it is virtually, over and over, could make it seem to kids like something

that “just happens”. I know there have been so many instances of shootings or violent

acts reported in the news that were based on a video game or online world.
 There are those who believe that screen time can help positively develop a

child’s brain. A professor at the University of Michigan, Elliot Soloway, believes that

having phones in the classroom will benefit learning. In the article, “Project Uses Cell

Phones as Computers in the Classroom” Soloway says, ​“The future is connected by

mobile devices. They’re going to be the new paper and pencil.”​ All of my teachers have

embedded technology into classroom learning for the last several years. If it were not

for online learning, “school” would be non-existent now. We are all relying on virtual

platforms to connect with teachers and classmates. My college credit plus experience of

being able to obtain college credit as a high school junior has only been because of the

internet. My mom, who works full time, is among many adults who are able to go back

and take more college courses at their own pace thanks to online learning. There is no

doubt that this tool is incredibly valuable to teaching and learning. Easy access

empowers my generation. We can look up a fact or bit of trivia. We can take control of

learning something because we know the wealth of information that is at our fingertips.

Going to the library is not the method we have to wait for. We carry the knowledge of

encyclopedias, dictionaries and libraries full of books around in our pockets.

Other people argue that technology keeps people in touch. In an article from

Child Trends, authors Courtney Nugent and Lauren Supplee said, Certain digital tools

can increase social interaction with family members, “Using ​video chatt​ing such as

Skype, Facetime, etc. allows family members to reach out to one another when

in-person interactions may not be possible. The AAP acknowledges that kids younger

than eighteen months can use video platforms with the help of their parents to ​connect
with family members.” This evidence really rang true for me considering how we have

been living in recent weeks. I have only “seen” extended family recently on my phone.

We moved recently and my sister just took my aunt from New Hampshire on a complete

tour of the house after all the renovations were made. I know it meant a lot to her to be

able to see it. My grandma is a widow and lives alone. She feels very isolated currently

so all of her grandchildren have made a great effort to reach out to her - just sharing

tidbits of daily life. This has been a teachable moment for me and all of my younger

siblings and cousins. Keeping our grandma “company”, and in the loop of our life is

something we all realize to be important.

It is crucial to a child’s physical and mental health for parents to be monitoring

their children’s screen time. If this does not occur, there may be many horrible effects. A

child may not be as cognitively developed as they should be for their age. Excessive

screen time may also lower a child’s academic success due to their brain not

developing correctly. It has even been proved that it can affect the happiness of a child

because they are spending all of their time staring at a screen, instead of interacting

with other children face to face. Too much screen time has also proven to make children

more violent and out of control. Some people may say that screens are allowing

children to communicate virtually, but even so, too much time spent on these devices

can be negative when dealing with a child’s developing brain. It is far more important for

children to go outside and get real life experiences than for them to stay inside, simply

staring at a screen for hours on end. For the sake of health and wellness, academic
success, and socialization, screen time can definitely negatively affect a child’s

development.

Works Cited

Carey, Benedict. “Is Screen Time Bad for Kids' Brains?” ​Is Screen Time Bad for Kids'

Brains?​, 10 Dec. 2018,

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/10/health/screen-time-kids-psychology.html.

“Cyber Bullying Statistics.” ​Bullying Statistics,​ 7 July 2015,

www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html.
Moore, Nicole Casal. “Project Uses Cell Phones as Computers in the Classroom.”

University of Michigan News​, 13 Feb. 2009,

news.umich.edu/project-uses-cell-phones-as-computers-in-the-classroom/.

Morin, Amy. “How Too Much Screen Time Can Hurt Kids and Their Families.” ​Verywell

Family,​ Verywell Family, 12 Sept. 2019,

www.verywellfamily.com/the-negative-effects-of-too-much-screen-time-1094877.

Park, Alice. “Too Much Screen Time Can Have Lasting Consequences for Young

Children's Brains.” ​Time​, Time, 28 Jan. 2019,

time.com/5514539/screen-time-children-brain/.

SCREENAGERS​, www.screenagersmovie.com/

Willis, Kiersten. “New Scans Show How Screen Time Affects Children's Brains

Compared to Reading.” ​Ajc,​ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 17 Jan. 2020,

www.ajc.com/lifestyles/health/new-scans-show-how-screen-time-affects-children-

brains-compared-reading/LYqNlXPyDz3bWK589DodLN/.