Researchers say there are many problems associated with spending too much screen time. Gary Crawford has more about this on this edition of Agriculture USA

PARTICIPANTS: Gary Crawford and Kansas State University Extension Child Development Specialist Bradfold Wiles. Classic TV kids show host, Buffalo Bob Smith.

Transcript

Let's go back to the early 1950s when TV was the big new technology which had dozens and dozens of shows for kids.

What time is it kids?

Howdy Doody time!

Let's go!

Howdy Doody time!

And even then, child development experts were already warning about the amount of time kids were spending in front of the screen.

Some were worried about the possible physical, mental and emotional effects that too much screen time could have on kids.

So now let's fast forward to the present where we don't just have one little TV screen in the house, we've got screens everywhere.

So everything from reading a book on a tablet or TVs or smartphones.

And so screen times, especially for children, have skyrocketed.

Coming up on this edition of Agriculture USA, the dangers of too much screen time and what families can do about it.

I'm Gary Crawford.

How much time do you think you spend looking at screens every day?

How much time?

And how much time do your sons and daughters spend?

Well, some studies suggest the average American adult spends 7 hours a day in front of a screen, not counting work time.

And for kids age 8 through 18, it's 7 and a half hours.

And here's the ironic part.

The recommendation for adults, for teens and adults, is only 2 hours per day.

Whoa, 2 hours?

Are you kidding me?

2 hours?

No, I know.

I'm guilty as well.

Pronouncing himself guilty as charged is Kansas State University child development specialist Bradford Wiles.

He says too much screen time for young children often causes those kids to develop behavioral problems.

Problems getting along with others, including their parents and siblings.

And as teens or pre-teens...

There are significant negative effects of screen time around anxiety, depression, attention, academic achievement.

And then, you know, of course there are some confounding factors there in that we also know that social media is just really, really bad, particularly for girls.

And in adults too, it puts everybody at risk for obesity, it can affect your relationships, it can affect your sleep cycles.

And screen time seems to act almost like a drug.

You want more and more and you can't stop watching.

And trying to limit screen time can be very difficult.

It's a real challenge.

And by the way, it's a real challenge for me.

I mean, particularly right now, March Madness is on, so I really want to see the games and check the scores.

And at the end of the day, that's just, again, telling my kids that what's going on in NCAA basketball is more important than them.

And that's never the thing I want to convey.

But Bradford Wiles says we parents are role models for our young children.

And if we are constantly on our phones and not paying attention to the children or engaging with them...

You are tacitly telling them that what is on the screen is more important than what they are doing.

So he says obviously it would be a good idea to cut screen time down from that seven hour average down to the recommended one to two hours.

But that is a big lift.

It's a constant battle.

It's something that adults really have to focus on.

But Wiles says to win that battle...

Set your goals in a tiered manner so that you're not going cold turkey.

You're able to wean off of things.

So be realistic about them.

It's a marathon, not a sprint.

But this first idea may seem like a sprint.

It may be considered a pretty radical thing to do in many homes today.

It's simply this.

No phones or screens at meals.

Mealtime is really, really important for physical health, mental health.

Family mealtime is really critical.

And so you completely diminish that if you're all sitting around watching the TV.

Wiles also suggests setting up no screen places in other parts of the house.

Again, reinforce that those common areas, typically those are common areas, so that when you're there you're engaging with your family.

Oh, and yes, Wiles says this is not all about banning screens and devices such as video games.

In fact, playing video games together with your child can be OK.

Again, limit the screen time to the hour for overall for your child.

But if you want to do something together, that's OK.

As long as the technology is just an excuse for your own engagement.

And that's the whole idea behind cutting screen time.

But again, Wiles says do it gradually.

And if you need some good practical ideas for reducing screen time for you and your family, the Mayo Clinic has an online program.

It's pretty neat.

It's called Slim Your Screen Time.

So you can spend some of that screen time to find out how to slim the screen time down.

Just go online, search slim your screen time.

This has been Agriculture USA.

I'm Gary Crawford reporting for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.