Media overload can hamper kids' learning abilities
By Stephanie Schupska University of Georgia

A television or computer may be easier to find than a babysitter. In the long run, they may even be cheaper. But they're far from ideal ways to give your children a head start on their education.

Too much screen time could hurt children come school time.

The issue for many teachers is "at what cost is a child spending time at a screen instead of playing with friends and exploring outside, activities that are important for a successful school experience."

Kids who show up ready to learn usually go on to be more successful students and, in turn, successful adult. Schools do try to address students' deficiencies. But it's when children show up at pre-kindergarten and kindergarten without the building blocks for learning in place that puts them behind ... a connection between intense screen time and decreased readiness to learn.

Kids involved in screen time aren't involved in activities that are more interpersonal and physical.

Television is the No. 1 activity for children ages 6 to 17, according to the Center for Media Education. By mid-adolescence, the average child has watched 15,000 hours of television. That's more time than they've spent with teachers, friends or parents.

The number of screen time hours continues to increase. The average U.S. child watches 25 or more hours a week. The American Academy of Pediatrics says there should be no screen time for kids under the age of 2 and only one to two hours per week as children get older. There's a huge disconnect between what is healthy and what is actually happening in many homes.

Electronic media isn't necessarily the bad guy. There are many electronic activities that complement and supplement educational learning.

The main concern is unmonitored screen time.