How much time do your kids spend staring at screens? After spending seven months studying more than 1,300 fourth and fifth graders, a research team at Iowa State University found that children whose parents limit the amount of time they spend staring at electronic screens get more sleep, get better grades, have fewer behavior problems and are also at a lower risk of obesity. Because parents don’t always enforce less screen time, the researchers say that parents don’t always see these effects. That’s made even tougher with the fact that the most noticeable effects of limiting screen time – like a child not gaining extra weight – are difficult to notice. The research team says the responsibility shouldn’t rest solely on parents, however. Lead researcher Douglas Gentile hopes pediatricians will begin to urge parents and kids to reduce screen time, too. With the average U.S. child spending seven hours a day in front of some sort of screen, there’s plenty of time to cut back on.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.