While allowing young children to stare at a computer screen often gives parents a much-needed respite, new research suggests the practice is slowing down, with early tablet use linked to increased outbursts later.
Children who log 75 minutes or more of daily screen time at 3 1/2 years old were more likely to have outbursts of anger and frustration a year later, a study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found.
Furthermore, the bargain suggests that a vicious cycle is at play, with young children who were more likely to express anger and frustration at 4 1/2 years old likely to spend even more time on an iPad a year later.
“It may allow parents to immediately avoid a tantrum, but in the long term, repeated use of this type of strategy does not allow children to develop strong, internal emotional regulation skills,” study author Caroline Fitzpatrick, professor of child development at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, told CBS Evening News.
The study’s findings are based on a survey of 315 parents of preschool-aged children living in Nova Scotia, Canada. Participants self-reported tablet use by their children at age 3 1/2, one year later at age 4 1/2, and then at age 5 1/2, in 2022. Parents also answered standard questions to access their children’s expressions of anger.
Still, some parents find that a little tablet time can be very helpful, without causing any obvious harm.
Atlanta mom Farrah Butler sometimes lets her 3-year-old son, Oliver, play on an iPad, especially when she needs a break or is trying to get something done, like cooking dinner.
“The screen is useful when you’re trying to get daily tasks done, when they want you to play and you just need to take a few minutes,” Butler said. She and her husband have discovered that Oliver and his two siblings didn’t care much when their mobile screens were removed. “They found other things to do with their time,” she said.