Are TV and screen time wrong for my toddler? 

We are living in the primetime of technology. The internet and media are some of the best sources of learning, and they also manage to keep your toddler hooked with fascination. But along with knowledge, maintaining a balance is vital for a healthy lifestyle!

About the effects of screen time

Screen time refers to the amount of time you spend optimizing your gadgets. Excessive screen time has many side effects; some of them are -

• Content genres

It is not possible to constantly monitor the content shown on a toddler’s device. This creates the possibility of wrong genres like violence being suggested, and this kind of content can be really harmful to a toddler's mental growth.

• Sedentary lifestyle

Gadgets are always used in passive mode. If your child uses devices for a long time, they can get addicted to them and may want to stop playing physical games or activities.

• Radiation

Any electronic device has radiation that is not suitable for the human body. A toddler's body is even more vulnerable to this radiation, and thus, various physical problems may arise.

• Eye damage

High brightness, continuous hours of staring at a screen can sure damage the young eyes of your toddler. This may result in a bad prescription for glasses.

• Addiction

The videos, applications, games, etc., available on devices can be fascinating for a toddler. This fascination can quickly escalate into addiction and the refusal to keep a device away.

• Bad social life

While growing up, a toddler learns how to make friends and mingle with people so they can do the same when they are an adult. But this stage can be skipped or spoiled because of excessive screen time.

• Other learning methods

Over time due to device addiction, children might start finding other learning methods unappealing or unpleasant. Reading books, doing actual experiments, etc., may seem pointless to them.

• Poor family relationships

Toddlers may experience disconnection from their surroundings due to indulging too much in devices. This may affect their bonding with their family members for the worse.

• Sleep deprivation

If your child gets addicted to screen, it may result in a reduction in their sleep time. This is extremely bad for your toddler because your baby needs a good amount of sleep as these are their primary years.

• Low IQ

Radiations of mobile phones and other devices are harmful. This radiation can physically damage and stop the brain development of the child.

So, in a nutshell, screen time and televisions are indeed bad for toddlers if they are allowed to use them unsupervised. A toddler's day should be balanced with playing, bonding, eating, sleeping, and learning. The methods used to complete these activities should be decided by the parents after researching them. A healthy childhood goes a long way in a toddler's life!