When you say "dinner's ready," do your kids look possessed and start speaking a foreign language? "Wait, I'm rushing and we're out of shields, I need to heal! [fortnite]" or "I'm doing an AOS, I don't want to get Bloxxed! [Roblox]" are their only replies? You open the door, and you see them swaying to the latest trend [tik-tok]? Have you ever been surprised by a tall, dishevelled guy with red eyes walking into the living room, having just finished his 8-hour WoW session, looking for food?
So, are you familiar with these situations? It's because screens are taking up more and more space in children's lives, starting from the Dora the Explorer age. We'll tell you everything about the impact of screens on their lives, the dangers of screen use... and their usefulness. As a bonus, we'll give you ideas for other activities that will keep their eyes away from blue light.
Screen usage and child development
The "Blanket-Ice Cream-Couch-Netflix" combo takes up time at the expense of sports, social interactions, board games, etc. (to be fair, it’s true for adults too a bit) but not only... Young children are more sensitive, more impressionable and lack maturity.
For teens, many important things are happening: first loves, first job, leaving the family nest... So they are also vulnerable (even if they won't tell you so), since the brain is developing until age 25.
Too much screen time can have health effects:
🧠 Effects on the brain:
😖 Lowered attention, concentration, impaired short-term memory... We are in the realm of brain development, that period where children are building their brains.
🗣 Too much screen time can also lead to difficulties in language development, learning to read, and even math, because this is learned through interactions with others, which is how the brain develops this area. Screens = less stimulation of this area = disrupted language. Logic: you aren't really having a conversation when you tell Dora where Swiper the fox is.
🤔 There may be a link between time spent in front of screens and executive functions (which allow for decision making, acting in new situations, and curbing impulsive reactions).
We're using the conditional tense, because let's be honest with you: there are many contradictory studies on the link between screen exposure / child health / video games / etc. Like everything else, excess and overexposure to screens encourages problems.
🥊 Physical effects:
👉 On vision, as the eye is always fixed on the screen. Especially if using a tablet or mobile phone: everything is small, so we bring the device closer to the face. Result: Eyes develop bad habits without the child knowing. The problems:
- 😵 Eye coordination (6 muscles per eye, they must be exercised and habituated to working together, up close, from afar).
- 🤓 Progression of myopia (only near vision is used)
- 😫 Fluctuating vision (Having blurry vision from time to time for no reason).
- 🔆 Photophobia (the slightest excessive light ruins your day)
- 👁 Dry eyes (We naturally blink 5x less when in front of a screen)
- 🤕 Headaches.
👉 On eye health, as screens emit blue light (LED or otherwise). Incidentally, if you're not convinced, we tell you everything here. Blue light significantly tires the eyes, disrupts sleep...
👉 On sleep, therefore, and not just from always putting off the famous "just one more episode" until dawn. Watching screens disrupts melatonin production, which is exactly what we need at night to sleep. Our toddler's body no longer knows how to distinguish day from night and sleep is disrupted.
👉 On health in general, as sedentary behavior promotes overweight and musculoskeletal problems. Here, we aren't going to make fun of League of Legends players, no, no. (translation for parents: LoL is a game known for long, veeeeery long games. So be wary if they tell you "just one last game"!). Overweight is due to time spent not moving / Musculoskeletal problems, to the posture in front of the screen, which is often not adapted.
News flash: the secret to good posture in front of the screen here.
Social effects:
👨👨👦👦 Whatever anyone says, chatting on social networks is not the best form of communication. Once our toddler becomes an adult and is released into the reality of life, it's hard for them to learn the basics of social communication. The risk of social withdrawal is high, and this can lead to depression and a lack of self-control.
😔 Because there is indeed a risk of dependency, of a "reward circuit." The child plays, finds pleasure, plays again, finds pleasure. Result: the brain gets used to the pleasure and always wants more, more screen time. Since 2019, the WHO even recognizes "gaming disorder"!
☢ And be careful with content that isn't intended for the child! Hypersexualization, violence, bullying... So much undesirable content that can lead the child toward poor social development.
Using screens: expert recommendations
So what do the wise people say about the relationship children have with screens? They talk about the 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 rule, and we add 99. Bingo!
👉 For children under 3 years old: Zero. Niet, nada, nothing at all, not even a little corner of a cell phone peeking out from the security blanket. In any case, the child would only see colors and/or shapes.
👉 Before 6 years old: No game consoles. Let our toddler flourish with social interactions, they'll have plenty of time to ridicule us at FIFA later on... Or not.
👉 Before 9 years old: No internet, even when accompanied. It's simple: The weight of images and words has too much influence on a youngster, risking shocking them even if they don't show it.
👉 Before 12 years old: No unsupervised internet use. For much the same reasons. They are learning, developing, defining themselves. They aren't yet capable of understanding all the world's difficulties. Watch out, this is the Tik-tok period; you'll have to be strong.
👉 For those of us who are big kids at heart, under 99 years old: A reasonable and limited use, and filters against blue light to protect yourself long-term. Look around you, accountants aren't the only ones using screens all day at work. Ed note: we have nothing against accountants ♥.
Well, those are the tips for the least disrupted development possible. In reality, 22% of 7 to 12-year-olds have a smartphone and 36% have access to a tablet. 4 hours 37 minutes... That's the average time spent on the internet per week for 1 to 6-year-olds.
👓 And blue light? How to protect against it? 👓
- 💡 Avoid exposure in the evening. The idea is not to disrupt the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone that will help them have a good night's sleep and benefit from everything that entails.
- 👓 Filter your life: From a very young age, one can wear glasses with an anti-blue light filter. Our range intended for children makes no compromises on their health. The best filtration on the market for children, teens, and/or gamers! And besides the very affordable price, a lifetime warranty!
- 📺 Adopt good screen settings. You can use native solutions (like Night Shift), or fine-tune settings on the TV or computer. It's not the best of the best, because there will always be a little blue light left.
The most harmful wavelength and how to protect yourself? Our file here.
🤟 Good tips for limiting the effects of screens on development
- Keep your distance! The recommendation: 40cm between the screen and the eyes.
- Improve ambient lighting. Don't leave your little one in the back of their bed; set up a soft atmosphere (and especially not blue) with no reflections on the screen, to avoid high contrast (which increases visual fatigue).
- Monitor eye health. A regular visit (once a year?) to an ophthalmologist will allow for problems to be detected and corrected as soon as possible.
- Limiting time to 2 hours of screens is actually a good idea. Make them take breaks every 30 minutes. Look at the screen for a bit, then look out the window, or better yet, get up and get some fresh air. At worst, there are even apps that block the device after a certain time (the most common app: "ICutTheWifiAndWatchMyTeenWalkInCircles").
The role of parents and educators in screen use
Several solutions are available to you:
🧳 Leave the country to go live at the North Pole / throw all digital accessories out the window. Disadvantage: You have to get used to returning to the Ice Age, and you deprive yourself of access to world culture. Maybe a tad excessive, especially since the teen will feel bad in their relationships with friends from school.
😖 Authorize screens until they get tired / Force them to watch all the OnePiece episodes in one go (that's what Chuck Norris did. Twice.). Disadvantage: In addition to everything we've talked about, high risk of dehydration.
🤟 Find a healthy balance while protecting their eyes. Disadvantages: There are none.
Some tips to help you in your role:
- 🧒 Empower the child. "Ok, you can use the tablet, but as soon as your eyes sting, or as soon as your neck hurts, you decide yourself to take a break." They will be proud to show you that they are already a little adult (a technique that is quite limited but interesting).
- 👓 Make them understand the risk due to blue light. Some lean more towards no glasses = no screens; why not, until they understand the dangers themselves. It's for their own good.
- 🗣 The idea is also for them to express what they are doing. If you detect phishing or distress, check it out right away: don't let them be taken advantage of. Take an interest in what they are doing on the internet, chat (even the pros say so).
- Lead by example, by helping them understand that screens are not THE only focus of interest. If mom and dad play, read, or exercise, it's a guaranteed success. For those over 40 like us, remember to hide your pain after working out; we don't have to lead by example all the time 😅.
- ⛔ Be critical of content. The better the child can properly interpret what they see and hear, the safer they will be.
- Don't overexpose them! There are too many predators, and little ones don't pay attention. So, no posting pictures of their bodies online, and no private conversations with strangers. It's a sad reality, and the stakes are high—let's protect them.
Alternatives for children's health
Here we are. If they are already firmly anchored in front of screens and you want to avoid outbursts of protest, you will have to deploy a strategy worthy of the best. How do you get them interested in something else?
🎲 Games
At a young age, they watch you, spy on you, and want to make you proud. Perfect! Share your passion for the board game Warhammer (there are too many rules for them to win anyway). But in reality, share a moment with them; that's all they need for their development. Having trouble attracting them to board games? No mercy: maximum use of the "Would you please play Monopoly with Mom?" with eyes worthy of the Shrek cat. How can they resist that request!
📚 Reading
Learning to read as a family is great for them. And later on, their first books—and never mind if they are manga: at least it's (some) text and no blue light.
🔧 Creative activities
Modeling clay, paper crafts, backyard wooden forts—whatever you want. Lasting memories, and the development of concentration, dexterity... Have you ever had a Lego castle battle or built the Millennium Falcon?
🎾🏈🏀🥋🏇🤺⛷🤼♂️⚽🏏🤾♂️🤽♂️🏐⛸🏑🏓🥏 Sport. This ranges from a walk in the park to an IPPON! And the pleasure in the child's eyes. Earning their first pony riding certification is also a source of joy. Regardless of the sport chosen, there are only benefits.
Technology and the future: finding a balance.
Well, we shouldn't ban screens either. What’s important is moderation.
📺 With the TV
You can have great family moments. Why not a good movie night! As long as you aren't bingeing all 1,058 episodes of One Piece, it's a guarantee of good memories. Here's a little tip: type "Blind Test" in the TV's YouTube app, and let yourself be guided.
📱 With the mobile phone
Children have easier access to their friends. Video calling allows for connection from almost anywhere, and chats between friends/family can happen despite the distance.
💻 With the tablet / computer
It's access to science and culture, an incredible mass of data. We're talking about Wikipedia, but also countless tutorials for scientific experiments and trying out all sorts of things.
If you look closely, you'll even find benefits to video games:
- attention
- motivation
- concentration
- memory
- problem-solving
- visual recognition of characters and objects
- speed
- early logic
- eye-hand coordination