– According to a recent research by NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development in collaboration with Canadian University Sainte-Anne, watching more than two hours of TV per day is detrimental to school readiness, especially for children from low-income families. Such alarming results should incite parents to limit the time their children spend in front of the tube. In 2016, the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics have been updated to a maximum of one hour of TV per day. Yet, at the same time, the growing use of smartphones and tablets continue to extend children’s screen time steadily further.

– The scientists found that watching TV for more than two hours daily can reduce kindergartners’ math skills and diminish their executive function, a crucial element for school readiness. The study also showed that the duration of time devoted to television and the type of program watched is related to a child’s socioeconomic background. In most advantaged families, parents tend to be more involved in content selection and more available for deeper discussion and explanation while watching TV together. Children from high-income households seem to benefit from more educational TV programs, which helps the development of their academic abilities, such as language skills.

A Child Watching TV (Wikimedia Commons)

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