MILWAUKEE [Ivanhoe Newswire] -- When it comes to screen time, how young is too young for a smart phone?
What's right for one family may not work for the rest.
The World Health Organization just issued guidelines recommending little to no screen time or children under five. The worry is the obesity risk could increase with just one hour of sedentary media use.
Creating a media plan for your family may be a great start to know where you are at.
Pediatrician Jenny Radesky wrote a book on media use guidelines for children.
Dr. Radesky demonstrated The American Academy of Pediatrics interactive website for parents to keep track of the amount of time they are on technology.
"You can plug in who your children are, what their ages are and then you get a few choices of what are the different healthier balanced technology-based behaviors that would be appropriate for that age."
She adds, "For some families it might be let's pick a few unplugged spaces in our house or a time of day, like dinnertime."
Dr. Radesky also says parents should explain their media use out loud. For example say, 'I'm texting dad to tell him where we should meet.' She says it demonstrates smart positive smart phone use saying, "They want to know these things. They want to feel in control."
Click here to learn more about the American Academy of Pediatrics website that tracks how long you family is on technology.
