Children And Media Can Mix, But With Caution “When I saw that my daughter still didn’t know her ABCs at age three, I panicked. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, I better do something quick so she can catch up to the other kids.’ So I got her an alphabet app on the iPad.” This statement from the mother of a toddler in San Jose, California, is evidence of the relationship that many parents have today with media and technology. Parents recognize that there is value in the devices that surround us daily, but there is much confusion about what is appropriate screen time or even appropriate devices to share with young children. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends that children under the age of two not be allowed any screen time, regardless of the quality of programming or the device. This is because from birth until age three, the young brain is rapidly developing and learning from its environment. Young babies watch, listen and touch in order to learn about the surrounding world, but with television and other electronic devices, they can’t interact in the same way. And there is evidence that too early exposure to television and other electronic media can actually have a detrimental effect on language development and reading skills. Babies and toddlers learn best from the parents and caregivers who talk, read and directly interact with them every day. For children older than age two, age-appropriate media can be helpful to learning. According to research commissioned by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, low-income children who view public media have made significant gains in vocabulary development, including letter recognition, letter sounds, and word meaning. However, early childhood experts recommend that all children’s screen time be limited – including television, computer, and mobile devices – and that parents and caregivers closely monitor the content. Common Sense Media recommends that parents and caregivers develop a “balanced media plan” for their families that considers the age of the children and controls the environment in which the media is consumed. Read More: This Common Sense Media report shares current research on the media habits of families with children ages zero to eight. Tips for parents of young kids can also be found here. Research from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center on how parents view media, as well as tips for how to best make use of existing media platforms. A new report published by the National Center for Families Learning and Northwestern University, on Hispanic families and media habits. In the News: “Why to Avoid TV Before Age 2,” American Academy of Pediatrics (Healthychildren.org), May 11, 2013. “What You Need to Know About Babies, Toddlers and Screen Time”, NPR, October 28, 2013. “For Infants and Toddlers in the Digital Age, Time With Adults Still Matters Most,” Fred Rogers Center, March 12, 2013. Podcast This NPR All Things Considered story highlights the challenges parents of toddlers face in today’s digital age. >>

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Encouraging Stability is Key for Families in Flux

American families have changed dramatically since the 1960s. Whereas two parent households were the norm several decades ago, today families come in a variety of shapes and sizes that can present unique challenges to the stability and long-term development of children if not managed carefully.

According to current data, about 28 percent of households are headed by a single parent. Because of higher rates of divorce or births outside of marriage, roughly half of all children will at some time live in a single-parent home. In addition, many more children now live with parents who are cohabiting rather than married, a situation that can present an uncertain environment for children in the earliest years if partners change frequently. When separating your partner, it can be very stressful, especially for your children. Vising the best lawyer is very important when taking such a big step.

But shifting family structures are only part of the instability that young children can experience. Even in homes with married biological parents, sudden changes like job loss may result in unmanageable stress for young children. The stress that accompanies major family shifts, such as dramatic income loss, changes in housing, sudden loss of contact between parents and children, or increased parental anxiety can prove harmful to the emotional and mental development of young children.

This is because during the first five years of life, children are still developing the mental, social and emotional tools to handle high levels of stress. In fact, studies have found that family instability exacts a heavier toll on children from birth to the end of kindergarten than to older children.

Sudden changes to family structure and households can contribute to difficulty sleeping in young children, behavioral problems, as well as poorer health outcomes later in life, such as obesity and asthma.

While there are no easy answers to these challenges – especially in relation to work outside the home, or serious life events, like divorce, that result in single-parenthood – there are ways parents can mitigate the negative effects of family instability.

As researchers at the Urban Institute conclude, parents can foster close relationships with friends and relatives, use consistent but sensitive discipline, and maintain consistency in scheduling and child care so children know what to expect from an early age.

For example, research shows that a consistent bedtime for babies and young children is critical for healthy brain development and lends order and stability to their lives. Likewise, finding time to talk with young children, while engaged in other activities like meal preparation or diaper changes, can help with bonding and vocabulary development, and increases quality family time.

Read More:

• A factsheet on family instability, brought to you by Too Small to Fail.
• Research report from the Urban Institute on the harmful effects of family instability.
• Tips for working parents from the American Academy of Pediatrics, on how to find better work-family balance.
• Tips for single parents on how to reduce stress, from Parents.

In The News:

• “The Mysterious and Alarming Rise of Single Parenthood in America”, The Atlantic, September 3, 2013
• “Single Moms Speak Out on Challenges”, NPR, August 28, 2012

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