From television to computers to cell phones, technology surrounds us. Technology has undoubtedly opened many doors for us. Access to the Internet promotes the dissemination of ideas and information, access to television allows us to watch art in the form of movies, and access to cell phones allows us to call our loved ones no matter where they are.
On the other hand, too much of anything is not a good thing. This logic holds true when it comes to technology and screen time. What may seem like harmless activity can affect us more profoundly than we realize. It is important to consider how much time we spend on our devices.
Here are some facts and figures about television habits:
- The average American child between the ages of 2 and 17 spends 19 hours and 40 minutes a week watching television.
- 202 “junk food” ads run during four hours of cartoons on Saturday mornings.
- Parents spend an average of 38.5 minutes in meaningful conversation with their children.
- The average American child spends 4 hours and 41 minutes in front of a screen of some kind every day.
- 55% of young adults admit that they put off their bedtime on the Internet or television.
- The more babies interact with screens, the less time they spend on creative play, the foundation of learning.
- American children watch 20,000 television commercials a year.
- Children can develop brand loyalty by age 2.
- By age 65, the average American has seen 2 million commercials.
- 40% of Americans always or frequently watch television while dining.
- Marketers encourage kids to scold their parents for products. The complaint represents one in three trips to fast food restaurants.
- According to the American Heart Association, about one in three American children and adolescents is overweight or obese. This is almost triple the rate in 1963.
5 ways to turn off the power and tune in to the world around us:
- Move! Take a walk, play soccer with your kids, or take a family bike ride! Taking 30 minutes of physical activity a day has been shown to help keep our bodies healthy and strong.
- To read a good book. Do you know that book on your shelf that you bought months ago? Now is the perfect time to grab it and read a few pages.
- Start a garden. Spring is here, so dust off your gardening tools and plant some beautiful flowers, herbs, or vegetables like bell peppers or tomatoes.
- Cook up some creativity in the kitchen. Find a new recipe online or in your favorite cookbook to try and make it a fun family activity!
Whatever activity you choose to do off-screen is sure to brighten your day and open your world to new possibilities.