On Channel Nine’s TODAY, host Lisa Wilkinson had this to say in a segment about badly behaved toddlers and the terrible twos:
“If, as a parent, you allow your children time in front of a screen – you give them iPads, you give them phones – before the age of five, I’m going to be generous, you are crazy.
“Come back to me when they’re 14 and completely and utterly addicted to their screens. They have no social skills. That’s when you’ll realise what you did early has come back to bite you.”
I come to praise Lisa, not to bury her. This should be no surprise.
She’s one of my best friends in the world and I will always and forever have her back. It gives me no pleasure that she’s being attacked for what she said this morning about screen time for little kids, but I think I understand why some people are losing their minds about it.
It's because we're all really scared that she might be right. I'm not saying she is right, but the thought that she might be is scary.
And in my experience, when women feel scared they become angry. We come out swinging to defend our parenting choices as if the lives of our children depended on it. Because sometimes, it feels like they do.
Some things to consider:
Lisa's youngest child was born in the same week as my eldest. They're both 19. When they were little, mobile screens weren't an option for Lisa and me as parents. Cable TV was barely around and ABC Kids didn't exist. All we had were Wiggles videos. And boy did I give those a red hot go.
Top Comments
when I was at school we had a family (3 boys) that had NO TV's in their house - BY CHOICE! Kids were allowed to listen to the radio , read the newspaper and witch tv if they were over a friends house... those boys were all polite, well mannered and extremely bright. Of course all of us as their friends were gobsmacked as most of us had at least 3 TV's in the house!
There is a lot to be said for choosing your screen time wisely and to realise that its actually no big deal to go without - you're probably better off really....after all our make-up is still cave-man-esque!
Educate your self about the radiation exposure from screens and devices and look at the warnings they put on all the packaging next time you but an ipad etc. No one can tell you its 100percent safe...now why the hell would you let a toddler rest one of those devices on its face/body etc. the less the better I say ... I'm with LISA!
Not only is it concerning that children are placed in front of so many screens for such extended periods of time, it is then concerning that as they get older parents don't monitor their internet usage properly. Parents need to stop assuming their children wont;
1. talk to strangers on the internet, who are potentially adults grooming them
2. take naked selfies and send them, which is production of child pornography and can get them in just as much trouble as the person who views it/distributes it
3. wont be the victim/perpetrator of online bullying
4. wont base their understanding of a healthy relationship, inclusive of sexual relationships, on the porn they've been exposed to. There is clear evidence that young males make assumptions about relationships based on this
The ignorance parents show towards the internet and how their children use it is alarming and good parenting starts with teaching them about supervision etc of their usage right from an early age.
And what is wrong with taking pencils and paper to dinner and teaching them to interact with others?
Technology is everywhere but it doesn't replace basic social skills or manners.
It's not "either or".
My kid can interact, draw, and play on my iPhone. It's called balance.
I agree that ignorance of how the internet works and what is accessible is rampant, but it seems a bit of a reach to lump that straight into "bad" parenting.
A lot of parents DO the things you talk about. You can protest your kids to the best of your ability and expose them to technology.