In a world living through a screen, there has always been the question of how much is too much. Children in the United States spend a staggering 7.5 hours a day online. This is despite long-standing guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics that children older than 2 years should be limited to 1-2 hours per day and yourger children have no screen time at all. Due to its negative affects on childhood growth and development, I strongly believe that for the good of children, screen time limits should be put in place. The first reason why I believe that children should be restricted from spending to much time in front of media screens, is that excessive screen viewing strongly correlates with depression. Developing brains are extremely vulnerable to disruptions in their environment. The lack of traditional play results in an inability to develop emotional health, imagination, original thinking and problem solving. Screen time "play," even if it is interactive, such as online games or video games, does not help the child develop in the same productive way. It proceeds according to the programers' rules, leaving the child a passive viewer. A child's mental health is one of the most important, and overlooked, aspects of their develpment. We as a society should do everything in our power to ensure it is given the attention it deserves. …show more content…
In a country infamous for being overweight, the number of overweight children in America climbs higher and higher each year. Ties between T.V viewing and obesity have always been strong. Between 2011 and 2013, children 8 and younger have more than doubled their use of media devices with screens. Not only does lack of physical play result in harmfull emotional and problem solving delays, the lack of activity also correlates with weight gain and other physical health problems among young