Screen time has become one of the most talked about parenting decisions. Most recommendations say to avoid screens entirely, which isn’t really possible.
I work from home and watch my baby, so of course, there are times when she’s looking at my computer or my phone, or where we’ve watched something and she’s tried to pay attention.
I don’t think there’s a way to be perfect about this. I try to be strict on screen time, but there have been a few instances where that wasn’t possible.
Two examples that stand out to me are when we needed my daughter to remain still for an ultrasound of her heart, or when we were attending a funeral several states away and had a ten hour car drive, and she had a breakdown at hour nine.
According to healthychildren.org, “Heavy solo screen use can affect their developing language and social skills, for example. Outcomes depend on how many hours a day little ones spend on digital media and how adults use screens to calm or entertain them.
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Here are some ways I incorporate screen time in a healthy way.
Face-Time
I moved from NYC to Michigan, so much of my family and friends are still back in NYC. We pick someone to Face-Time and talk with them almost every day. Since it is considered face to face, this helps with developing language skills.
Live streams
You can find live streams of zoos and aquariums on their websites. I’ll also put on the Roku aquarium for her. We’ll talk about the fish and animals and learn facts together.
For extra blue light relief, we usually do this on a projector, which reduces blue light damage.
Emails
Sometimes I need to get work done and she’s not having it. In that case, I pull her onto my lap and explain what I’m doing.
Music
I use screens to play music! I sing with the music that is playing so that it is interactive.
This time should not replace active play time.
While it is not recommend that babies frequently watch entire shows, when situations arise like the one I mentioned, these are the shows I would recommend.
Educational Content:
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- Ms. Rachel
- Sesame Street
- Mister Roger’s Neighborhood
We can’t be perfect parents, and trying makes it harder for us to succeed. Instead, use these methods when you feel screen time is necessary to have a more productive and educational time with your little one.
