Yet another study that says SCREEN TIME BAD

Is it just me? I understand that too much screen time is bad-especially if the child is suffering from obesity. However, kids need to know how to use technology. Why isn't that ever mentioned in these studies? A kid who grows up without learning how to use ipads, computers, smart phones, etc. will be at a disadvantage. I am not condoning kids using technology constantly. It should be in moderation. But I am sick of seeing all these studies like "TV BAD, COMPUTERS BAD, SCREEN TIME BAD." So again I ask, "Is it just me who is getting annoyed by all these studies that don't take the future into account?"

Here's the latest from THE NEW YORK TIMES:

Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics’ longstanding recommendations to the contrary, children under 8 are spending more time than ever in front of screens, according to a study scheduled for release Tuesday.

The report also documents for the first time an emerging “app gap” in which affluent children are likely to use mobile educational games while those in low-income families are the most likely to have televisions in their bedrooms.

The study, by Common Sense Media, a San Francisco nonprofit group, is the first of its kind since apps became widespread, and the first to look at screen time from birth. It found that almost half the families with incomes above $75,000 had downloaded apps specifically for their young children, compared with one in eight of the families earning less than $30,000. More than a third of those low-income parents said they did not know what an “app” — short for application — was.

“The app gap is a big deal and a harbinger of the future,” said James Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, which had 1,384 parents surveyed this spring for the study. “It’s the beginning of an important shift, as parents increasingly are handing their iPhones to their 1 ½-year-old kid as a shut-up toy. And parents who check their e-mail three times on the way to the bus stop are constantly modeling that behavior, so it’s only natural the kids want to use mobile devices too.”

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Stink'in Spongebob Squarepants

I tell you what, I would happy if this show was taken off the air. It drives me crazy. Every time it comes on, I run over to the T.V. and shut it off. My eight-year-old is allowed to watch some Nickelodeon shows. If he leaves the T.V. on when he's finished watching, Spongebob always comes on. My two-year-old even recognizes Spongebob. Good Grief! I am going to print out this study for my 2nd grader to read.

FROM NBC: While Spongebob Squarepants has been known to give some parents a headache -- a new study suggests he may also be hurting kids' brains!! New research suggests the kind of shows preschoolers are watching may be just as detrimental as how much TV they see.

Dr. Michael Rich, Center on Media and Child Health, Children's Hospital Boston: "We shouldn't just assume that because they're being quiet and in the living room, that everything is ok." the new study is a small one -- involving just 5 dozen 4-year-olds. Researchers randomly assigned the kids to one of three groups -- either play with crayons, watch the slow-paced PBS cartoon "Caillou" or watch Nickelodeon's fast-paced cartoon -- Spongebob Squarepants.

After doing one of these tasks for 9 minutes, the researchers assessed the kids' ability to focus and problem solve. Dr. Dimitri Christakis - Seattle Children's Research Institute "The children who watched the fast-paced cartoon performed significantly worse." Experts say kids' developing brains don't have enough time to process fast-paced media.

Dr. Dimitri Christakis - Seattle Children's Research Institute "These children's brains were actually tired from all that stimulation and they weren't as able to then focus the way they otherwise would be able to."

Dr. Michael Rich, Center on Media and Child Health, Children's Hospital Boston: "If you are given more time to absorb a scene, to understand what goes on, you are able to interact with it, with your own questions and your own ideas." SpongeBob is one of Nickelodeon's most popular shows, and is marketed to kids over age 6.

In a statement, a nickelodeon spokesman said: "Having 60 non-diverse kids, who are not part of the show's targeted demo, watch 9 minutes of programming is questionable methodology." There's no evidence to suggest the short-term cognitive deficits found in this study translate into long-term problems. While Spongebob and his neighbors under the sea may not be the enemy -- experts say parents should remember kids' brains are like sponges -- soaking up everything they see. The typical preschooler watches 2 to 4 hours of television a day.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Skin Dimensions, SB products are manufactured with Pharmaceutical-Grade ingredients. Products are not just "Feel Good Products," as they contain unique and innovative ingredients in concentrations that can assist you in the achievement of your own personal skincare objectives. Our products contain higher percentages of Glycolic, Vitamin A, C, E, Co-Q10, green tea than what you can usually purchase over the counter.

I am a Screen-time Hypocrite

Um, I admit the television is on way too often at my house. I feel like I am constantly turning it off-only to find someone has turned it back on within minutes. And when I am relaxing, it's not uncommon for the television to be on while I type on the computer. If I get a text while I am doing that, I sometimes respond to that as well. So I certainly don't think these kids are "so bad." On a positive note, they are learning how to multi-task!

FROM NBC:Cutting down on your kids' screen time may be more complicated than simply turning off the T.V. Researchers in the UK questioned 10- and 11-year-olds -- who overwhelmingly said they often used multiple electronic devices at once -- watching t-v and chatting online while texting their friends during commercials, for example.

Television programs were often used as background entertainment when the family was engaged in an activity, like eating dinner.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Skin Dimensions, SB products are manufactured with Pharmaceutical-Grade ingredients. Products are not just "Feel Good Products," as they contain unique and innovative ingredients in concentrations that can assist you in the achievement of your own personal skincare objectives. Our products contain higher percentages of Glycolic, Vitamin A, C, E, Co-Q10, green tea than what you can usually purchase over the counter.