https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:33:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953620 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:43:56 +0000 Arden 953620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We consider our "no screen time" rule to apply to a moving picture or anything interactive.<br /> So I'll hold my baby in my lap while typing in word or working on spreadsheets, but never while watching the news or using apps on my phone.</p> <p>@mrsjacks, am I correct in that definition? Would a blanch word processing screen be an issue for her? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953613 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:41:08 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 953613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BKCaribBaby: Ugh, I'll pull up something else. It's a good source too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953588 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:31:09 +0000 BKCaribBaby 953588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: definitely interested in this article, but it took me to a log-in screen. Do you recomend any other articles? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953460 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:04:41 +0000 Corduroy 953460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always wonder if skyping with grandparents counts. That's LO's main source of screen time but I don't dare cut it out. My ILs might visit more often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953287 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 14:32:17 +0000 Mrs. Twine 953287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, I do limit. I am research obsessed. ;) See this: <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010529233110.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010529233110.htm</a> and there are many other related, documented studies. We have it on during times when that is an activity (listening to a book on tape during 20 minutes of clean-up time) or listening to music in the car. We never have things on as "background" noise. I feel that even for older children it detracts from focus on conversation, etc. And especially with Ellie's particular needs and tendencies, it is important for us to not have extra distractions. I would choose to do things this way regardless, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953124 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:47:46 +0000 mediagirl 953124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: do you limit music/radio use? If so, for what reasons? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953104 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:41:52 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 953104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCB: You can think of it as a dose-reponse curve, with effects seen with even a little and worsening as it increases.</p> <p>This article is a review of the known effects of TV viewing on adults and children. (Focuses on health effects and cognitive).<br /> <a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778957_1" rel="nofollow">http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778957_1</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-953010 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:20:54 +0000 ShootingStar 953010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: I'm interested to learn more about the issue, because from the reading I have done it was hard to believe that small amounts of screen time have such a huge effect. At what point does the evidence show a consistent problem - 2 hours a day? 5 minutes a day? Every day use? Once a week? </p> <p>Of course if your infant/toddler is watching hours of tv every single day, I can see how that would have an effect. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952807 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:38:06 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 952807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsCB: I wish it was exaggerated. There is a lot of mounting evidence. It impairs executive function. In a kid with a lot of reserve and no attentional problems will it cause horrible issues, most likely not... but it does have a clear and repeatable effect. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952612 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:00:27 +0000 ShootingStar 952612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>IDK, I think the issue with this is highly exaggerated. The concern is that it might affect your child's attention span or activity level. I feel like as long as they're not spending all day watching tv and immersed in the show, it's not really going to do anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952607 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 11:59:40 +0000 sarac 952607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh yeah, I have pandora or just my computer playing music on most of the day. That doesn't count for sure. I could anything interactive - watching a show or playing a game, whatever the device. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952521 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 11:34:45 +0000 mrsjazz 952521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We listen to music often but I guess I never thought of the way we listen to music as screen time, but I just learned from this thread that it is. Our cable provider has music stations and LO really likes the Swing music station so we listen to that almost every day. With each song they put up pictures of the artist and some facts about that person (and have the occasional advertisement photo on the screen). Hmmm, I may have to rethink this, we'll see.</p> <p>Our daughter is obsessed with music. She does get some screen time and I don't think we're ruining her. She loves to read and play and has a very high vocab. for her age so we're not worrying about this too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952481 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 11:23:20 +0000 Boheme 952481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: @zippylef: Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952471 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 11:20:55 +0000 tysonja 952471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO (14 months) only gets to watch 5 mins of pingu or mr roger's neighbourhood once a week when he gets his fingernails cut (hahah), BUT we spend around 30+mins a day talking on skype with my mom who lives across the country! she interacts with him and he 'talks' back, so i guess that is kind of like screen time, too :)</p> <p>i'm not worried though, and would allow LO to watch a bit more tv than he does, except our TV is so ancient right now that it's a pain to watch it/turn it on :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952322 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:40:10 +0000 T.H.O.U. 952322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: This is kinda how I feel about it. My LO is almost 2 and in the evenings we either turn on the tv for her to sit and watch with us or we are watching and its on in the background. </p> <p>We also do a lot of books on the ipad. I get that its a screen, but to me, sitting there next to my daughter, interacting with her, reading words that just happen to be on a screen rather then on paper is much different then plopping a kid down in front of Sponge Bob. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952320 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:39:38 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 952320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: I did a blog post on screen time that references several sources if I recall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952302 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:33:47 +0000 ElbieKay 952302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you're worried, just turn off the monitor and leave the computer on. Pandora should continue to play. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952280 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:27:08 +0000 loveisstrange 952280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/children-and-tv/MY00522" rel="nofollow">http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/children-and-tv/MY00522</a></p> <p>We don't do NO screen time but C watches very little. Like less than a half hour a day, if that. Even when it's on, she's not super interested in it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952253 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:18:49 +0000 Boheme 952253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: Do you know of any articles or resources on why screen time before age 2 is discouraged? DH and I are strongly against it, but the other family in our nanny share allows it. I'd like to talk to our nanny about it and back it up with a source. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952187 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:57:51 +0000 looch 952187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh and to answer the question, I do think that just having the TV on in the background is screen time. It's not active, but it does mean that it might catch their attention and before you know it, they are looking at it.</p> <p>The one thing that I was really adamant about was no phones or computers during feedings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952183 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:55:58 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 952183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: I would consider that interaction screen time ecause the screen and your LO are interacting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952170 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:50:46 +0000 Mrs. Twine 952170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't count Pandora, but apps on a cell phone, TV, computer games, etc. all count to me as screen time. Lorelei gets zero screen time ever at 16 months, but she has listened to a book on tape or the radio for short spurts here and there if the rest of the family was. Ellie is limited, but she is allowed to listen to music or books on tape whenever/as much as she wants. As cautious as I am, having read lots and lots of research, there are so many examples of children having TONS of screen time and not displaying any adverse effects whatsoever. Ellie (who had no screen time at all until age four) is much more aggressive than most of her peers, including many who watch more violent cartoons, etc. than she does and in much greater quantities. This was true even when she had no media viewing. It is certainly a complicated issue. Considering the prevalence of screens (our gas station now even plays short snippets while you fuel up-- drives me NUTSO!) it is certainly hard to avoid. We actually choose restaurants often based on not having a TV. Not that we eat out much (&lt;1x/month). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952167 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:50:20 +0000 mediagirl 952167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: one of the hardest things for my husband and me when M was born was giving up TV. We did it, knowing it was the best thing to do, but yeah. We are media boy and girl. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952166 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:49:53 +0000 stargal 952166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: no apps or videos, he just grabs it and likes swiping the screen. I think he's attracted to the light. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952159 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:47:45 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 952159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: if you are using the phone to entertain them with an ap, video or just playing with he buttons, then I would think it counts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952158 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:47:23 +0000 skibobrown 952158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm, I only count it while the child is watching the TV. We try not to keep it on in the background at all, but sometimes we fail at that. When DD sits down with the ipad to watch Yo Gabba Gabba, that is definitely screen time. When there's a red sox game on the TV, but she isn't paying any attention to it at all, then I don't really count that, but I try to limit it anyways. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952157 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:47:03 +0000 T.H.O.U. 952157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: We often put on the music channel which changes picture every time a new song comes on. She will look up at the image, but since it isn't changing and engaging so goes on about her way. I don't consider it screen time at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952155 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:46:30 +0000 looch 952155@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: You know, I tend to overthink stuff, so I get worried that I am somehow imparing his developement. But he's a well adjusted 2.5 year old that knows his numbers, shapes, colors and most letters. My 4 year old neice who gets no screen time can only identify the color pink. I try not to let it get the best of me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952154 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:46:17 +0000 Honeybee 952154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: Ditto. We often have Pandora on during the day and I don't consider that screen time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-screen-time#post-952151 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 09:44:29 +0000 Foodnerd81 952151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: @mediagirl: I'm pretty certain neither of you ruined your babies! </p> <p>I *think* screen time is mostly moving images on a screen-- so Ipad, TV, computer...I can't imagine a computer monitor is that entrancing to a baby anyway, or a screen that changes every 3 minutes. </p>