Paediatric physiologist Ariana Haught told 10TV's Tracy Townsend that it's important to check in on children.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As children across Central Ohio begin to return to school, a new poll has been released showing how parents feel about their children's access to technology and social media.
A study from the Kids' Mental Health Foundation at Nationwide Children's Hospital suggests that success in school may be linked to how well children connect with their classmates and teachers in the classroom.
A national poll of more than 1,000 parents found that half of parents believe spending too much time on technology and social media is preventing their children from developing quality relationships.
The survey also found that the biggest challenges to connecting were spending too much time on technology, bullying and the social impacts of the pandemic.
Child psychologist Arianna Haught told 10TV's Tracy Townsend that it's important to check in on how kids are doing.
“We have to figure out if it's coming from social media. Are you noticing that kids are spending so much time on their devices and not doing other things? That's impacting their socialization, their sleep, their homework,” Haught asked.
Research shows that excessive screen time can affect:
Reduced physical activity and its impact on physical health Reduced sleep time Learning delays in infants and toddlers Inattention and poor grades Risky behavior (due to what they watch or are exposed to on the internet)
Hoet says one way to help kids make connections is to be compassionate with them.
“Play games together, watch TikTok together. Just be present and really pay attention and share your interests,” Haught says. “You're talking to them every day, so the first, second, third time, they might reject you, but they might get used to it and be like, 'Yeah, my parents are actually interested in this.'”
Setting good examples and boundaries includes: moderating the content they watch and making sure it's age-appropriate, setting aside screen-free time, watching together, teaching your children ways to cope with emotions without screens, and modeling the behavior you want to see.
For more information on how to strengthen connections in your child's school, click here.
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