Our children live in a screen-driven world.
In some ways, it’s been this way for a long time. Since the 1950s, television and children have gone together like cereal and milk.
Who doesn’t remember Saturday morning cartoons?
The advent of video games and the proliferation of smart phones and tablets in the past decade have only served to add to a child’s “screen time.” Walk through a mall or an airport and you’ll see that many children seem perpetually “connected” to an electronic device.
I’ve previously blogged about some of the physical harms of this “digital invasion,” such as technology-induced dementia and a rise in compulsive disorders.
Today, though, I want to explore another unintended fallout of too much technology – children who are not able to relate well in “real life.”
According to reliable statistics, by age 7, a child born today will have spent one full year in front of a screen.
Needless to say, that’s a lot of time.
Too much time, if you ask me.
As a result, some kids aren’t growing up socially adjusted. They’re not learning simple relational skills, such as looking people in the eye or comfortably carrying on an in-person conversation. This lack of social development can significantly stunt personal growth and inhibit a child’s future potential.
The question then becomes… how do we create a balance in our homes and in our kids’ lives? How can we help our kids practice being social?
Today we’re airing the second day of a two-part broadcast, “Helping Kids Relate in a Screen-Driven World.” This program gives moms and dads some practical advice that can help them help their children. It features Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane talking about their new book, “Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World.”
I encourage you to listen to today’s broadcast, available on the radio, online or via our free, downloadable app.
Hope you have a great weekend!
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