#47:Screens: A Tool

Screens are certainly a polarizing topic in the parenting world. If you are Team Screen, you’re often seen as too permissive. If you oppose them, you’re not adequately preparing your child to live in our “tech-friendly” world. Littles are certainly drawn to screens. Personally, I don’t think the answer falls in the extremes of the spectrum. A home where a toddler has limitless exposure to a tablet, television, or smart phone probably isn’t an optimal developmental environment. Though absolutely zero exposure may be unrealistic in the modern world we live. 

When determining how I wanted to introduce screens into Genevieve's environment, I chose to focus on research and what I know about child development while keeping a realistic understanding of the world Genevieve inhabits. That being said, I can understand where different parents can come to a vastly dissimilar decision, and I respect that. In this post I merely want to share the basis for why I choose to be intentional about screens, and how I wing it, too. 

In our house, we do not keep the television on when Genevieve is awake. Honestly, this is easy to do because it fits into our lifestyle. Andrew and I simply do not watch a lot of television. Sure, during G’s Saturday afternoon nap we sometimes eat pizza and watch something together or enjoy the new Kill Tony episode on Monday evenings after Genevieve goes to bed. But we both prefer podcasts and audiobooks. We are more likely to walk about the house doing chores with one earbud listening to something. Now keep in mind, I am writing this now that Genevieve is twenty months old. When she was in the lala-land newborn stage, we would have the television on more often, but she was very passively taking in the sensory information. But even then, we would prefer an audiobook or podcast while interacting with newborn G instead of television or tablet.

We are on our phones around Genevieve, though we do try to limit that. Andrew often has to field work calls from home or check texts or emails. I try to limit my phone use to her nap or when she’s off in her own world of independent play (and if I use my phone while she is awake, I am usually responding to text or direct messages with friends or family). Neither of us allow her to play on our phones. We don’t gasp and shield her eyes from screens, nor do we think it's cute when she’s enamored by them. We simply see them as a neutral source that provides novel stimulation.

[Research Says] 
Current research is still pretty limited as it relates to tablet and handheld screen exposure and kids (for the sake of this post I am focusing on littles under the age of five years old). Most of the research concerning screen exposure relates to television. Studies show that children under the age of five cannot learn meaningfully from tv shows (sorry Little Einstein). Television shows geared towards littles then offer little benefit other than mere novelty. Researchers say that these shows are not harmful to children in and of themselves, but if a child is spending an exorbitant amount of time glued to the television, they are missing out on activities that would enrich them developmentally. So, it isn’t what they are doing (watching tv) that is problematic; rather, it's what they are NOT doing (sorting their toys, coloring, actively moving about their environment). When a child watches television they are a passive participant, rather than an active participant. Developmentally beneficial activities and toys are those where the child is in fact the ACTIVE participant. This is why I have very few feedback toys (often plastic toys that light up and make sounds and have buttons). Instead, we focus on toys made of quality materials that require Genevieve to act on them (Stackable rings, nesting doll cups, object permanence box, stuffed animals, a pushcart, geoboard, etc.). Now, if you're cooking dinner and need your little to be entertained and safely occupied while you do so, popping on a show may be a great way to keep the peace during that time. 

According to Dr. Maria Montessori, children’s brains are an instrument of Man’s Intelligence, and the use of our hands plays a significant role in the cognitive development of the child. Therefore, being a passive participant watching television, or only using the pointer finger to use a smartphone or tablet would not be an optimal way for a child to spend their play time. Instead, having open-ended play with balls, blocks, items in their natural environment where the child can freely explore using their whole hand and all senses would be more effective to deepen the child’s understanding of the object or situation (and ultimately themself). A child’s work is to play. Through play, their bodies and minds develop skill and understanding. 

Another concept borrowed from Dr. Montessori is the responsibility of the adult (teacher/ parent) to establish the environment to foster curiosity and exploration independently. I think adults often use screens as a pacifier to hold attention, so the child is not irritable (or “boooooored” if they are old enough to say so). One of the only times I use my phone to pacify Genevieve (of course I do occasionally) is when (and this may be TMI, but it is what it is...) I need to use the restroom while Genevieve is awake. Luckily, I am very regular and typically go in the morning before she wakes, but if I need to bring G into the bathroom with me, I put on the baby shark video or a Curious George episode on YouTube. This always holds her attention, and the screen keeps her engaged and not rummaging through the house unattended. She knows not to grab and hold the screen, or else it pauses or leaves the video and takes pleasure in the novelty. 

Newer research, related specifically to tablet and smartphone use finds a relationship between excessive use of devices and negative psychological and physiological outcomes among children and adolescents. ADHD (or ADHD-like behavior) is one such condition. This makes sense, because a child using such a device can pop off of one app for another or click a new video on YouTube as soon as their interest wanes. Children, who have developing attention spans, are less likely to bolster their focus using tablet-like devices because of that ability to deviate to the next quick-fix for their attention. This is one reason why IF I allow G to watch a video on my phone, I do not let her to click and navigate the videos. Instead, the chosen episode is the chosen episode. Negative impacts on eye health, heart health, and levels of cortisol are also linked to overuse of devices. For me, the operative word is “over-use” and again brings me back to the Montessori concept that the parent’s role is to curate the environment and how much exposure a child has to these devices. 

[The Goldilocks Effect]
When considering how a child under the age of five spends their wakeful periods each day, research indicates the value in parents reading to their child above audio only (Tonie) or independent handheld devices (tablets, smart phones). Dr. Hutton, a researcher and pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found using an FMRI machine studying 27 four-year-old children supports the belief that the “just right bowl of porridge” is an illustrated book being read to the child. Audiobooks alone registered as “too cold”, and an animated video story was “too hot.” 

What makes the audio-only condition too cold is that language networks were activated, but there was less connectivity overall. So, the child was straining to understand. The animated condition was too hot because there was a great deal of activity in the audio and visual perception networks, but not a lot of connectivity among the brain networks. Simply put, the animation was doing all the work for the child. When a child experienced the illustration condition the language-network activity dropped compared to the audio condition, but the children’s understanding of the story was “scaffolded” by the cues from the illustrations. Most importantly, the connectivity between all the networks observed were increased. 

This finding coincides with Vygotsky’s theory of the zone of proximal development (ZPD). Basically, the “just right” illustrated version is helping stretch and support the child’s cognitive ability by affording them just enough stimulation for them to create a meaningful interpretation of the story. Vygotsky's theory of ZPD is also tied heavily to the mentor's positive social impact on the child. Hutton’s study findings noted that the constraints of the MRI machine meant that the illustration condition wasn’t as good as reading on a parent’s lap. This is because of the emotional and physical bonding where the parent can point to specific words or pictures and construct an even more enriching experience. 

This brings to mind a reading experience Genevieve and I shared the other night. We were reading one of her current favorites The Giving Snowman, a book we have ready myriad times. This time she noticed the snowman's nose was gone after he gave the carrot to the rabbit. She looked at me like "what happened?" She then flipped to the start of the book and smiled and pointed at the nose on the snowman's face. Next, she realized the nose went away and continued flipping (only focusing on the illustrations) until the snowman received a new nose from the farmer near the story's end. A smile stretched across her face as you could see her comprehend "the nose was there, then it wasn't, and then it was again." Moreover, spending abundant time in illustrated books and re-reading the same books (while it may be boring to the adult) is deeply stimulating and developmentally beneficial to the small child. 

[When and How We Utilize Screens] 
I realize as I type this, my current opinions or statements may be subject to change. I don’t draft a frame of thought and rigidly stick to it “because I said so.” Instead, I try to come up with a general position aligned to values. Personally, I love a good holiday movie and popcorn. When I had the stomach flu a couple months ago, I binged my comfort show, Ted Lasso and used my phone to connect with others (a helpful way to feel connected as a stay-at-home mom). I want G to see the benefits screens afford her in life. However, I do not want her to become overly attached to them (I will refrain from using the word addicted). Therefore, there is a time and place and gradual introduction we wish to follow with screens. 

I find television most favorable of all the ways young children can interact with screens. The child is a further distance from the screen and can still play and move freely while the video is on. We will continue to keep G off of our phones and it won’t be until elementary school (at least) that we will even consider a tablet. Like I mentioned before, I am not judging parents who come to a different determination. Genevieve is an incredibly active baby. Although she started walking just after fifteen months, I’ve been chasing her since she has rolled across the rooms at five-and-a-half-months. If she's awake, she's moving. 

At this time, we only utilize Disney+ for Genevieve. We will use movies (she’s seen Aristocats and Tangled) over the course of a couple days as a comforting, quiet activity while she was sick and Arthur Christmas during the holidays. Bluey is our go–to show, which I highly recommend, Andrew and I enjoy it more than Genevieve. The episodes are seven minutes long and the only part she actively watches for is the intro song. I will pop on an episode if she wakes really early for the day and the sun isn’t up and we cannot go for our morning walk yet. Or if she's especially fussy and the stimuli can take her mind off teething or frustration from a leap. 

Genevieve’s primary exposure to screens would be streaming music to the television. I have several playlists I use: “Genevieve Playlist” (Disney songs and artists she loves like Meagan Trainor), “Genevieve Running Playlist” (space jam, Jock Jams, fast-paced songs), “Sleepy G Playlist” (Christina Perri and Night Owl) and “Everyday Chill Playlist” (artists I enjoy that aren’t kid-centric like John Mayer and Norah Jones). Genevieve absolutely loves music and watching the album art change when the song does. I love that she sees only the fixed image of the album because it is less stimulating than a music video. I will also stream the music to the television to show a fixed picture from nature as well. The music plays in the background as G plays or has a meal. This is one way I deviate from a Montessori approach that says music should be listened to as a concentrated activity. I love having music or audiobooks in the background as I do things, and I am okay with that being a fixture in G’s environment as well. 

Another way we use screens is Facetime with friends and family. Our family lives far from us, so regular visits aren’t easy to swing. I remember being pregnant and wondering about the impact of Facetime on babies. I was curious. Some of the questions I had were “will this create confusion for the baby, someone talking to them through a screen? Will this motivate them to be even more attached to screens? Does this influence attachment and relationship development?” I took these questions and did some research and found that by and large video calls with loved ones were a value-add to connection and bonding. Genevieve loves Facetime. Well, her favorite part is calling the person and waiting for them to pick up. She smiles broadly and after they answer she enjoys playing (and comes back every so often to check in). See seems to like to hear the conversation in the background and it’s nice to have loved ones see Genevieve comfortably in her own environment. She will "kiss" the person goodbye and she even said "maw maw" to my mom three times during our last call. I definitely agree with the findings that screen time in this way has a positive impact on Genevieve. 

So in a nutshell, right now we generally keep the television off. If it’s on while Genevieve is awake, we are streaming a music playlist that only shows the album cover of the song being played. We have watched a couple movies (over the course of a couple days) when Genevieve was sick. And if we watch a show, it's the show Bluey on Disney+. At this time, we abstain from tablets or letting Genevieve use our phones. But she recently has taken to watching videos of herself, and we will watch a couple when she wakes from a nap or before bed in addition to reading books. 

[What We Do Instead of Screens] 
A fundamental concept we apply to Genevieve’s environment is “less is more.” This means in the car or her stroller, she doesn’t have a lot of toys to distract her. She loves seeing the water tower, feeling the turns, and shrieking at the passing trees. On walks, I talk to her and point things out (and she loves chewing her straps on the running stroller). I want Genevieve to not always feel the need to have something stimulating her. Circling back to the notion that screens are impacting children’s behavior negatively, leading to ADHD, and an inability to focus I find that when Genevieve DOES have a toy or object or environment to explore, she does so with better attention and enjoyment. During runs I will play music for Genevieve and me to listen to, but she isn’t looking at a screen and is still infatuated by her immediate surroundings (pointing to trees, flags, birds, and her friends’ houses along the way). 

We read so many books all day long. In each room of the house, diaper bag, outdoor play bin I have several books for G to choose from. I have a display shelf that I decorate and curate for holidays, seasons, and her current favorites. I don’t have every book we own on display; I rotate them and keep an abundant variety. We have pop books, flap books, sound books, touch-and-feel books, board books, and paperbacks. Of course, we need to doctor the paperbacks, but I would rather the books be loved and worn than pristine and rarely used. I find that Genevieve’s absolute favorites are teeny tiny board books. I think because they are the perfect size for her little hands. She has several sets–Paddington Bear being her favorite. But I read and reread her selected books all day long. Now Genevieve is starting to read her books independently. She will flip to a page in a book about body parts and point to her tongue (like the picture in the book). She will go through the motions of her Stir, Crack, Whisk, Bake book where she “uses her fingers like a whisk” or “blow on the cakes to cool them off” per the book’s instructions. She finds her favorite pages in books too, like the peacock page in her favorite Nancy Tillman book or the cookie decorating page in her Curious George Valentine book (proudly pointing and saying cuuu-K for cookie). 

Beyond books, Genevieve loves her toys. Again, here I have them intentionally displayed, organized and situated around the house. I do not have every toy she owns out but rotate them. In fact, one of G’s favorite activities is “closet rummage” where I let her have at it in her organizer in her closet (filled with toys, stuffed animals, and books not currently in rotation). I use this game as a way to find what she’s gravitating towards. I will then often do a switch-a-roo with items on display that she is bored of for these chosen items. Genevieve loves her soft purse and cell phone, doing dishes in her play kitchen as I do her dishes in the real sink, and her nesting doll cups. She’s currently very interested in moving toys from different rooms or places to one location. 

Genevieve loves her house (this includes the front entry way/driveway and back patio/yard). We spend time in these different zones every day. Genevieve rarely whines or is bored while at home. She’s usually moving and grooving and independently directed (though she will get your attention like “follow me over here” when she wants to play in a different zone). I also use her standing kitchen helper and have her draw or play with a toy while standing at the counter. We do this as well during meal prep or while doing dishes. Genevieve is becoming more interested in helping. She makes the bed (she sets the littlest pillow in the middle and smooths the folded sheet), wipes down her highchair, is starting to cut bread and peppers, and “pushes” the cordless vacuum with assistance for mini messes. I let her get involved–albeit at the expense of efficiency. I want her to be a part of the family “work” and am happy to slow it down in order to help her learn responsible care for her home. 

Developmentally appropriate toys and books everywhere (though staged and organized to promote interest and not look like a daycare), music, helping with chores, and balance of time in different areas of the home all help Genevieve foster focus, attention, and engagement without using screen time. We also pepper in errands, playdates with or at friends' homes, different parks, the library, and at least a few walks in the neighborhood each day. Genevieve is very much an active participant when awake, and I do believe this is relates to why she is such a solid sleeper (a daily 3-hour nap and never wakes us through the night). Moreover, Genevieve doesn’t see Andrew or I sit passively watch a something on the television or scrolling aimlessly on our devices. Children do as we do, not as we say. So, I find my modeling is imperative to her environment as well. Screens are a tool for productivity and entertainment and we as her parents need to show her how and when to use them. We wouldn't just give Genevieve a hammer, nail, and wood and expect her to build a bird house without guidance. So, why would we give her access to screens without mindful support? 

Sources: 
The Neurology of Montessori for Brain Development (austinchildrensacademy.org)
Lissak G. Adverse physiological and psychological effects of screen time on children and adolescents: Literature review and case study. Environ Res. 2018 Jul;164:149-157. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.015. Epub 2018 Feb 27. PMID: 29499467.
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