MARLIN, TX — The digital age has made screens more accessible and portable than ever. Although the full implications of screen time exposure on young kids is not yet known, there is concern that screen use can affect cognitive and language development.
With the goal of unplugging kids from technology and plugging in more face time with family, a coach at Marlin Elementary School started “Quality Time With Your Kids.”
“I felt we were losing our kids to technology. We need to start spending more time. Get rid of the phones, social media, laptops and spend more time with our kids so we can learn more about our kids and figure out what’s going on with them in school,” said Coach Devon Hughes.
On Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., parents are invited to bring their children to participate in a coloring competition, parents versus children. The event is free and open to the public, but Coach Hughes does ask that all phones stay put away and all other forms of technology be left at home.
According to the U.S National Library of Medicine, most American children spend about 3 hours a day watching TV, and a total of 5 to 7 hours of screen time each day. The recommended screen time is 1 to 2 hours a day for children over age 2, and no screen time for children under age 2.
