Summer Screen Fever

One of the joys of summer for kids is having less to do and more time to do it. For parents, however, that can be nightmare. “There is much less structure to a child’s day this time of year, and for millions of children, summertime means overindulging in screen time,” said Jean Moorjani, MD, a pediatrician at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida. “Between social media, apps, video games and chatting with friends, kids often spend hours more each day looking at screens in the summer, and they are starting much earlier in life.”

In fact, according to a recent survey, more than half of all children get their first cell phone by age 6, just as they’re starting first grade. Three out of four children now own tablets and nearly as many have video game consoles. “There is so much vying for a child’s attention, it doesn’t take much for kids to get preoccupied during the summer months and spend a lot more time online than they do outside.”

To help families find a healthy balance, Moorjani has some tips.

Do more than set time limits - The current recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) puts a 2 hour time limit of screen time per day for children over the age of 2. But Moorjani says screens are so pervasive these days, merely setting time limits may not be enough. “It’s not just how much time your child spends on their devices, it’s the content they’re consuming. Parents need to know exactly what their children can see and control that content as much as possible.”

Consider this: the current recommendations based on setting time limits for children published in 2011 and only addressed things like television and video games. However, because the first generation of tablets had just come out at that time, the guidelines don’t mention the use of tablets or smartphones by children. “We can’t watch our kids 24 hours a day to make sure they honor time limits, but we can control what kinds of content they have access to, and parents should take an active role in doing just that,” said Moorjani.

Remember, not all screen time is bad - There is a difference between a child simply watching something on a device and actually interacting with it. “It’s the difference between consumption and creation,” said Moorjani. “If a child is passively consuming media, it’s not doing them any good, but there are some 80,000 apps considered educational that may actually help them.” During the summer months, in fact, many parents use educational apps to help their children retain and even sharpen things like language and math skills.

A word of caution from the AAP, however: there are apps that claim to be educational, but to date, there has been little research to validate their educational value. To learn more about age-appropriate content, go to www.commonsensemedia.org.

Set up media-free zones in your house - One way to balance social media with personal interaction is to establish media-free zones in your house. “Make a rule that in certain places, or at certain times, there are to be no devices whatsoever,” said Moorjani. “The family table is a perfect place to start. No matter if we’re eating breakfast, lunch or dinner, the table is the one place where we communicate face-to-face and can really put the focus back on the family.”  

Bedrooms are another important media-free zone. Research has shown that the presence of screens in a child’s room - from televisions to smartphones - leads to later bedtimes and often serious disruptions in sleep patterns. Without rigid schedules during the summer months, kids may be more tempted to use screens in their bedrooms late into the night.

To prevent the misuse of screens, make a family charging station so that all devices can be accounted for and monitored when they are not to be in use.

Don’t leave kids to their own devices - The reason kids may not use their electronic devices as much during the school year is because they simply don’t have the time. Phones and tablets are forbidden in many classrooms, and if your child takes part in extracurricular activities, they may not have access to their devices until later in the evening.

“If a busy schedule works during the school year, there is no reason it can’t work during the summer months, too,” said Moorjani. “With a little pre-planning, you can sign your kids up to play sports, go to camps, do volunteer work and a myriad of other activities that will limit their screen time opportunities.”

Parents can also assign chores to children that require them to spend time outdoors and may want to consider creating physical challenges for kids to complete. “Set a goal for a certain number of miles they ride their bike each week, for example, or help them organize neighborhood basketball or softball tournaments,” said Moorjani. “If you don’t want your child staring at a screen this summer, give them something else to do. You may be surprised how much they like it."

4 Times Your Family Takes You by Surprise

As a mother, there are rare times when you are truly surprised. Blow-out diapers no longer send you into the same shock that they once did, hearing the kids fighting is no longer something to leap up for. But, that doesn't mean that there aren't times that your family will surprise you in good (and sometimes bad) ways. 

Before you resign yourself to never being surprised, remember that you may have some of these to look forward to:

1. The first time your kid does something truly selfless for someone on their own. 

We all work hard to make sure that our kids grow up to be helpful, productive and caring members of society. No matter how young they are, when you notice them doing kind things for others, it can be one of the most surprisingly satisfying moments. Whether it is your toddler offering to kiss a boo-boo or your teen volunteering to help others, it is always a surprisingly proud moment. 

2. When you realize that your kids don't wake you up in the night anymore. 

This is one of the surprises that really does sneak up on you. You will wake up one morning and realize that not only have you been sleeping through the night, but your kids actually seem to like sleeping. Even if it isn't until they are teenagers, this will come when you least expect it. Enjoy it, bask in it, this is what you have worked for.

3. The first time you hear your child say a curse word. 

We can file this one under: "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY???"Kids are like sponges, they absorb everything they hear and see, but it is still a bit of a shock when they say a bad word. No matter how careful you are about keeping kids from bad words, there may come a time when they hear it somewhere else and ask you what it means, and the first time you hear a no-no word come from their innocent voices it can be a surprise. Just remember, this happens to almost all parents and if your child says a bad word once, it in no way means you have failed in some way. 

4. When your spouse does a major chore without having to be asked even once. 

Lets just address one thing: very few people are able to keep a spotless house after they have children. Now that we have that out of the way, it is also important to note that we all fall into routines and sometimes the big chores, like changing the oil in the car or vacuuming under the sofa that become a little neglicted. Even if you aren't the type to tell your spouse what to do, it is always a wonderful surprise when you come home to one of those big chores being done without having to ask. A little bit goes a long way when this happens. 

There will be other times that your family truly surprises you, of course. You may come home one day and be surprised by the fact that you haven't heard your children argue with each other in days, or maybe it is a more large-scale surprise like getting breakfast in bed and a spa day out of the blue. But through it all, these surprises, good and bad, will come when you least expect them. 

Summer Secrets: Why Camp Helps

Summer is almost here, which means it is an important time to start thinking about the best summer camps for your kids. Tampa Bay Parenting contributor and YMCA Camp Cristina Executive Director Mark Battig is here to talk about keeping kids active this summer through camp.

1)   Why is it important to keeps kids active during the summer?

When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles that prevent them from reaching their full potential. Kids are less physically active and engaged in learning during the summer months. In fact, research shows that children gain weight two to three times faster during the summer vacation than during the school year.

2)   Getting kids’ bodies moving is important, but what about their minds?

Kids—particularly from low-income families—fall behind academically because they don’t have access to out-of-school learning opportunities. In fact, by fifth grade, low-income kids are two to three school years behind middle-income children. This is often called the “summer slide” or “summer learning loss”…where kids lose what they learn during the school year over the summer.

3)   How does summer camp help ensure campers are getting enough physical activity and educational opportunities?

Summer camp, like at the YMCA, can address critical gaps in kids’ health and education. Attending summer camp is beneficial to every child’s personal development. The experience teaches essential leadership and social skills and helps youth develop confidence and independence. Summer camp fosters peer friendships and adult mentoring relationships that have positive youth development effects, build resiliency and encourage healthy decision making. At the Y, for example…Summer Camp offers a fun and unique experience that gives children and teens the opportunity to meet new friends, explore nature, discover new interests, be physically active and create memories that last a lifetime. YMCA summer camp supports the social-emotional growth, cognitive development and physical well-being of kids, and provides an environment where kids can belong, build relationships and realize their potential.

4)   What other fun activities/opportunities are available during YMCA summer camp?

At the Y, there is a camp program for everyone. From day camp to specialty camps for special needs kids, there is a suitable camp to meet the diverse needs of campers. Our camp staff are intentionally focused on helping youth develop by experiencing accomplishment, building friendships and creating a unique sense of belonging at camp. We also provide breakfast and lunch to all our campers at no extra cost.

5)   Any tips for parents trying to incorporate healthier habits at home during the summer?

• High Five the Fruits and Veggies– Make sure kids get at least five servings a day, the minimum number nutritionists recommend to maintain healthy childhood development. And to keep kids’ taste buds evolving, have everyone in the family try at least one bite of a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month.
• Foster an Early and Ongoing Passion for Books– Read to and with your kids. Help children read at every age and every stage of their development.
• Team Up for Athletic Events – Set a family goal of great health by teaming up for community or charity events like races, walks, fun runs, bike rides, etc.
• Volunteer Together – Find a cause that matters to the kids. Open their eyes to a world beyond themselves and the rich rewards that come from making a difference.
• Make sleep a priority– Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning and other vital functions.

You can also discover more about summer camp at the Summer Splash Summer Camp Fair on April 9 at MOSI. Visit Summersplashtampabay.com for more information.