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My seven-year-old was recently engrossed in the latest “Octonauts” movie. He excitedly shared that there are numerous volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean. “Yes,” I replied, “that’s known as ‘The Ring of Fire.’” “I know,” he chimed in. “The Ring of Fire encircles the entire Pacific Ocean. Some volcanoes are small, while others are quite large.” He went back to watching the movie, and when I mentioned it later, he repeated the explanation. He learned that from a cartoon! Criticize screen time all you want, but it certainly varies in quality.
If you disagree, you’ve clearly never enjoyed “Sesame Street” as a child. I use Duolingo to learn Spanish, and when I hit the numbers, I can’t help but sing the “Sesame Street” counting song to remember seis and siete (my mind tends to mix them up). “Sesame Street” taught me:
- Basic Spanish vocabulary
- Environmental awareness (we have too much waste)
- Concepts surrounding death (mourn ya till we join ya, Mr. Hooper)
- Numbers (thanks to a vampire)
- The alphabet (no joke; I truly learned my letters there)
Sure, my parents let me watch a lot of “David the Gnome,” “The Smurfs,” and “My Little Pony.” But “Sesame Street” was undeniably time well spent, and that’s its purpose. With the rise of quality children’s programming, we shouldn’t categorize all screen time as detrimental. Not everything is “Caillou.” My kids do watch some questionable shows (hello, “Dragonriders”), but they also enjoy educational content.
So, please, don’t judge me. There’s plenty of “Magic School Bus” in our home. Ms. Frizzle is both entertaining and educational. She’s not just a substitute for my kids watching “Amphibia” or “Gravity Falls,” as enjoyable as those are. Shows like “Odd Squad” and “Dino Dana” keep the learning going.
The Judgment of Screen Time
When I share that my kids often watch TV during lunch and sometimes dinner, you might be horrified. You might think I’m a terrible parent, ruining modern society and destroying family life. But then I clarify that they only watch documentaries that relate to their homeschool lessons, paleontology, or human evolution — their two favorite science topics. So while they munch on chicken nuggets, they might be learning about Denisovans and how their DNA has been passed down through various human populations.
That doesn’t seem like detrimental screen time to me. They can pronounce “Neanderthals,” understand their historical range, and discuss multiple theories about their extinction. Why does it matter that this knowledge comes from a screen?
Embracing Screen Time as the Future
Talk to my spouse, who teaches high school: screen time is the future. If you think you can pry your child away from their screens, realize they’re adapting to a world dominated by technology. My oldest reads physical books, but he also uses his Kindle Fire. Is that considered screen time? Whether he’s reading a Star Wars novel or comic on his Kindle, it’s still engagement.
He also conducts research on UFO sightings using a tablet. Students today will learn from tablets — not just during virtual school but often through video lessons. They take notes on one device while watching educational clips on another. Schools are increasingly providing laptops for students, not just for writing and research but also for watching Shakespeare adaptations and accessing books on Project Gutenberg.
The Value of Socializing on Screen
Don’t you have friends you only connect with online? My eleven-year-old does too. They play Dungeons and Dragons on Thursday nights. Especially during the pandemic, social interaction through screens has become essential. Yes, it can be toxic, and too much can have its downsides — we’re all aware of the challenges of logging off social media. There are risks in allowing kids to socialize online — from inappropriate content to cyberbullying, it’s tempting to restrict their access altogether.
However, using predictive text to message friends has improved my dysgraphic son’s writing skills. Facebook Messenger Kids has enabled him to stay connected during the pandemic. With a mix of Messenger Kids and Google Hangouts arranged by moms, he can join his friends for D&D. None of that screen time has been wasted; it’s helped him maintain his mental well-being during a year when he had few peers to interact with aside from his siblings.
So let’s stop judging all screen time. Yes, some parents may let their kids endlessly play video games with no educational value during the pandemic, but much of screen time is beneficial. So don’t be critical, even if my kids are watching “Amphibia” right now. They won’t be for long.
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Summary
This article discusses the varying quality of screen time for children, emphasizing that not all screen time is harmful. It highlights the educational value of certain shows and the importance of screen interaction in modern education and socialization, especially during the pandemic.
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