Makes some good points, but as a new parent I think the biggest issue with screens is why they are being used. In many cases screen time replaces a parents social interaction with a child - as a way to keep them busy or pacify a fit. This avoids key interactions as a parent and is a missed opportunity for the child’s development.

I think there are times and places for screens and kids, however, there is a healthy balance that in today’s society we are often failing to strike.

He makes a few good points, but I loathe his 'just asking questions' approach, or citing editorial pieces from the 1930s as if they were data. People getting panties in a twist over women reading is not the same as scientists saying "here are data showing this can be really really bad."

"Myopia has almost doubled from 1971 to 2008, which in turn can increase risks of vision related diseases. To me it doesn’t seem unreasonable that screens may have contributed to this, but a causal link is yet to be established."

People had the same freak out when TVs handheld and consoles first appeared. Jimmy sits too close to the screen! It damaged his eyes! Ooooor Jimmy can't see distances well, so he sits closer to the TV so he can see. Myopia is caused by the shape of the eyeball, not by what you're viewing. We're getting better at diagnosing it is all.

He makes a lot of points that aren't backed by data. A lot of the 'educational' or 'therapeutic' material for screens is not actually either, just a waste of time. There are studies showing that high access to screen time can be detrimental - it effectively competes with a LOT of other activities kids need to do. Kids need to play outside and get physical, they need to read, they need to socialize face to face. Unmitigated access to screens, even if its for 'good' material, can even fuck up sleep at a time when sleep is both critical to development and lifelong healthy habits are being established.

We don't need folks whiteknighting for kids to be on tablets all day. Believe it or not, some limits are beneficial and healthy.

RE: Myopia - I've seen a few articles on this but it seems related to kids staying inside all day and watching TV/being on screens.

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-urge-children-to-play-outside-for-their-eyesight

Which is why it picked up in the 70s.

Dogs have myopia and nobody really knows the proper way to test it. We don't know if it really affects them like it affects us.

And here I thought it was just that diagnosis and eyewear got cheaper and more common, and fewer young boys were getting kicked in the balls hard enough over being a four-eyes that it kept them from reproducing.

You're probably not wrong. Hard to say which is the stronger casual link.

My experience: easier to manage this for child #1 than once child #2 got old enough to also want to participate. As it stands, my kids are limited to a few hours a day (2-3) less now that they are back in school. They get to select stuff from Netflix and watch on a TV that we can "observe" what they are watching. No "lets just put on random Youtube shit and ignore them". We bring activities to dinners and occasionally they will get to watch shows if they finish early.

I didn't RTFA but in general I think it is way too easy for parents to just tune out the needs of their kids and this impacts ther social development. But then again, the parents are the generation who all grew up with TVs, VCRs, and computer games as means of entertainment (myself included) and many don't think this is more than "more of the same thing". To me, the issue is around content, and the idea that Youtube for example does not really police their content sufficiently. I'm fine w Netflix since the shows are limited and similar or better than what i grew up with as after-school or Saturday morning shows.

TL;DR - YMMV. But as a parent, it is your job to socialize your kids, to set boundaries, and to enforce rules, including what consists of good social norms. If your kids see you on your phone all day, they will want to emulate that.

:parental high-five: