Community Corner

SPEAK OUT: Setting Limits on Screen Time for Kids

A new report suggests limiting media time for children because the average is more than seven hours per day!

By Les Masterson

Unrestricted media use is having serious consequences for children and parents need to clamp down, recommends a new American Academy of Pediatrics policy.

The policy suggests parents should limit their children to two hours of media time a day. That includes TVs, computers and smartphones.

Find out what's happening in Ellicott Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dr. Victor Strasburger, lead author of the policy, said “many parents are clueless” about the impact media time is having on children, reported the Associated Press.

A 2010 report found that U.S. children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend an average of more than seven hours daily using entertainment media—and some youths are texting and on their smartphones after their parents go to bed.

Find out what's happening in Ellicott Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Read the full report here.

TELL US: What do you think? Do you think two hours of media time is a good limit? Do you think it goes too far? Or do you think it doesn’t go far enough? Let us know in the comment section.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here