Computer Games and TV for 3 Year Old

Yes, computers are considered part of "screen time." Here is what the AAP says about it: "Limit children's total screen time. This includes time watching TV and videotapes, playing video and computer games, and surfing the Internet. One way to do this is to use a timer. When the timer goes off, your child's media time is up, no exceptions. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality TV and videos a day for older children and no screen time for children under the age of 2." I have a 7 year old boy and 3 year old girl. Screen time is VERY limited in my house. 30 minutes a day (and not consecutive days) or a movie once a week (and not every week) as a treat. If they are "bored" TV/computers should not be the first thing they go to. I'd rather have them engaging in the real, 3-dimensional world than sucked into a screen world (as fun and diverting as that can be.) Watching someone knit/sew on TV is not the same (for your brain, fine motor skills) as actually doing it.
Jane Healy wrote 2 great books on cautioning parents to depend too much on TV & Computers. Her book Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can do About it was eye-opening to me. She wrote this article and the AAP published it. "Understanding TVs Effecs on the Developing Brain" http://www.brainy-child.com/article/tvonbrain.html
"The nature of the stimulus may predispose some children to attention problems. Even aside from violent or overly stimulating sexual content, the fast-paced, attention-grabbing "features" of children's programming (e.g., rapid zooms and pans, flashes of color, quick movement in the peripheral visual field, sudden loud noises) were modeled after advertising research, which determined that this technique is the best way to engage the brain's attention involuntarily. Such experiences deprive the child of practice in using his own brain independently, as in games, hobbies, social interaction, or just "fussing around." I have talked to many parents of children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder who found the difficulty markedly improved after they took away television viewing privileges." I AVOID anything with fast-paced images. She devotes a whole chapter to how bad Sesame Street (drop jaw) is for the developing brain. My 7 year old has ZERO attention problems. He isn't jumpy, impatient, anxious to be "entertained" when it's time to sit & think. Another thing to consider is down time. Sometimes my son comes home upset and wants to watch TV. I know this is a clue something is wrong and he needs to talk about it (rather than numb himself out and not deal with it.) Eventually he will talk about it (the TV does not go on) and the flood gates open and we discuss the problem and brain storm a solution and ... he goes to bed feeling "better." It's tempting to put the TV on to numb out (even for adults) but it's not necessarily the best thing. That's called "avoidance" and not the best skill to encourage into adulthood. BTW, my husband wanted to get my son "preschool educational software" and I vetoed it. Why? Because it just opens the door to addictive video games. His 17 year old son (first marriage) went through years of tuning out the world and just playing games in his room. No thanks. It's not something I want to "encourage." Once in awhile, fine, but not everyday at home where it becomes a bad habit. Finally, Albert Einstein said imagination is more important than knowledge. Children need the space to dream and create and imagine. Staring at bugs in a garden, is not the same as watching it on TV. TV/computers are a poor substitute. Limit, limit, limit is my mantra.

i struggle with this as well. i think it depends on how your child responds to the TV he watches and the computer games he plays. Like do you see him learning new things, growing in imagination or information or ideas, or does he just repeat habits and patterns, and pass time with it. I don't really keep track of the amount of time my daughter watches tv or plays on the comp, i just gauge it by how much it enriches her, and when it starts becoming "automatic" I cut it off. Or if i notice there are other things she needs to do that hasn't done yet, I tell her no more comp/tv bc u have to do this first. but yeah sometimes i do feel that i let her watch too much in the morning cuz i'm still sort of waking up.

I think you are doing fine. My oldest was also an extremely talented computer handler at an early age and loved those Disney games. As long as you are monitoring it and aware of it and you know that he is getting plenty of exercise and other "hands on" learning and play, I think it is completely normal. And really, look at your families day to day. Your kids are going to mimic the adults in the house. You are doing fine M.. Just enjoy him.

Yes, at our house TV, Computer, and Video Games are all considered screen time & our sons get 1 hour & a half a day total. We did compromise with the V-Flash learning system & have categorized it as a "toy" because it's so educational.

C. : )

I think you are doing just fine. My son who just turned four is the same with the Nick Jr. site. I think in moderation is is all fine as long as he is getting the amount of excersize he needs. My son has just started preschool so he is able to run around and he brings those new games home to teach his sister. Now it is not as hard to get him off of the computer because he is really interested in showing his two year old sister all the things he is now learning in school.

I too am struggling with this, my son is 5, he has been using the computer since age 3, hes a wiz, he does things on there that i dont even know how to do. From my point of view, i wish i would have given him less time, he just started kindergarten and he would rather do things on the computer then read a book or do homework. Not to get off the subject, but have you heard of the V-Smile computer that you hook up to the T.V., we have that, all 3 of my children enjoy it, when dad is around, we use that instead of Nintendo or the Computer, its a learning game, there is one made by Leap Frog too, thier very educational. Good Luck!

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A.!

Robin,

Ahhh- the "age old" question. I struggle with TV time also and my daughter is only 16 months! It is interesting reading about it with someone else and then thinkng about it in your own life. It really is helping me to make sense of the issue.

I think that like in all things, moderation is key. It sounds like you already have this philosophy but are struggling with a definition for "moderation". As a technology teach for a primary school, I certainly value technology and the skills that it teaches our children. In addition, it is important to note the sites that your child is spending time on... he is on an educational site that it adding to his knowledge and skill base. He is learning fundamentals of a solid learning foundation, but just happens to be using technology as the medium to do so. If you were doing flashcards with him, you probably wouldn't have posed the question. The purpose behind both is the same- the avenue just differs. Now obviously some might point out that if you were doing flashcards with him, there would be contact/communication between you both; however, that can still happen if you join him for while on the computer. I think that it is also interesting to note, that years ago, nobody every published guidelines on how long a child should be able to safely spend knitting or sewing in a day. Such an activity is just as sedentary and can be just as isolating! Hmmmm...

So that leads to the TV issue. In my opinion, down time is important. And if TV is your son's downtime, than so be it. It is really hard to battle our culture these days when society is so driven to do, do, do... work, work, work. How did it come that every minute of the day should be filled with an "activity."

I guess my final thoughts are: Do you feel like your son is spending time doing a variety of things throughout the day. Is he engaging in books, physical activity, constructing things etc....

I have a feeling that if you are posting this question, you're already doing a great job in structuring his activities throughout the day. You're already aware of needing a balance, and thus your concern.

Well, good luck in making sense of it. If you find a magic answer or perhaps a profound thought that helps you sort it out, please pass it along. I would love to have as many as I can in my "back pocket!"

-K.