Model Hyperlinked Argument for Writing Class - why I hate the new screen-time rules for kids

Why I Hate the New Screen-Time Rules for Kids

Yes, we should limit how much time our kids spend in front of screens, but we're going about it the wrong way

By: Jakob Schiller

Oct 25, 2016

 Link

Here's the key argument move:

And that’s the crux of the issue: the new pediatric guidelines, just like the old ones, suggest that there’s a perfect way to interact with the TV.

I think there’s a more holistic way to think about these guidelines, including how your kids interact with the television. Yes, we should limit how much TV our children watch. And sure, if we have a second to help them understand a segment of Sesame Street, that’s great. But as parents, we should also read those guidelines with a grain of salt and remember they’re just guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules. If we don’t follow them, we’re not going to ruin our children. This kind of real-world thinking—both from parents and the AAP—would take off some of the unnecessary pressure.

It might also help if the AAP offered an alternative. The organization has released suggestions for how much time children should spend playing in fresh air. There are also many studies that have proven the benefits of playing in the park or woods. Promoting those guidelines in addition to those for screen time would at least give parents an alternative. Of course, I try to be realistic here, too. My family doesn’t make it to the park every day, but we do try to wrestle in the front yard or ride bikes down the street. On weekends, we do our best to go bigger. Maybe it’s a hike in the nearby mountains. In winter, it’s a trip to the local ski area to work on snowplowing. When we’re outside, at least, it’s nice that television is a distant thought for all of us.

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