Children are Using Almost 8hrs of Media Per Day- This Means I’m the Best Mom Ever
A recent study by the Kaiser foundation claimed that children are using almost 8 hours of media per day. Wow, just yesterday I felt like I was doing a horrible job of parenting. I saw myself as one of those moms who allowed too much media into the home, the car, and on outings. I definitely rely on media for some much needed breaks in “Mothering.” My family also has regular Wii tournaments and my son, daughter, and I play many of gigs as the Guitar Hero band, “Imp Switch.” My kids use media related activities to the fullest, but they don’t log 8hrs a day. I am somehow on the downside of that curve, which means I may be doing something right or at least not as “wrong” as the average mom. Wahoo! Proof of my excellent parenting.
If your kids aren’t in school or asleep, they’re probably easy to find… start at the TV and work your way around the house being aware of wires, headphones, and gaming sounds. Let’s face it 53 hours a week of media use is a full time job. In order to accomplish such a feat it would take actual effort. Heaven forbid your child plays a sport, needs a shower, or has a hunger pang. Who knows where they can squeeze in those kinds of “frivolous” activities.
It seems like quite an undertaking, consuming this much media each day, and I fear with new technologies and advancements, it will only get worse. Bottom line, I need to rent more movies. What? I gotta catch up.
January 22nd, 2010 at 4:17 pm
It seems to me that media has been around for a long time. I remember when I was a kid (way back when…black and white TV), we were glued to the TV after school and in the evenings before bedtime. We did do other things, like music lessons, dance lessons and playing with the kids in the neighborhood. It seems to me that this has been going on for a long time. My daughter had all the new media available and also took part in other type of activities. We even used to go out on our boat for long excursions when she was very young. But don’t get me wrong, the media has been a big part of our lives, maybe not 8 full hours a day but enough. Great article…made me think and take part in the media of computer internet awarness.
January 23rd, 2010 at 12:10 am
thank goodness, jenny, they’re not yet media multi-testing. my college son will have the tv on while on his laptop on facebook while chatting with several friends and listing to music. when he wants to relax, he’ll maybe play madden (football) while sort of following a real game on tv.
at work, the 20-something women are typically on e-mail, facebook, listening to music, watching a movie and doing some work. those with an iPhone have an easier time multitasking simultaneously on the iPhone and their computer. but, hey, they get work done for me, and they even talk to me when i go over to their cube.
jenny, that’s our future. i’m exhaused.
but i just learned a secret from Michelle Slatalla (NY Times): the soothing blue light of the computer screen is very stimulating, even more so then you favorite starbucks beverage!!
who needs sleep! we’ll survive on multimedia stimulation 24/7!
January 31st, 2010 at 11:03 am
We’re taking a totally different approach; we are grooming Jacob for the Halo Championships on ESPN. Yeah man, he has perfect callouses on his butt and at the ripe old age of 9 he has acne and repels all females with great skill and stench. We plan on being his managers and retiring on his winnings, because seriously all he wants is a small room, couch, Xbox 360 and a bottle to pee in…
All frightening joking aside, my kids have a Wii, and on weekdays they are allowed to play after 5 pm (dinner and bed time at 8:30 naturally limit the time on) and on weekends it’s more “free play” as the day and time allows if we are home and just relaxing. We too do family games on the Wii. And let me tell you I am SO glad they can read the words on the games now, because while they play I can veg during MY computer time, which mommy like…
February 5th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Thank G for this post. I was feeling super-guilty today being trapped @ home with a sick child in front of the TV for most of the day. Who am I kidding – even when she’s not sick, we are trapped at home with her in front of the TV. Bad mommy.
March 25th, 2010 at 9:19 am
LOL – great post! That’s hilarious
“follow the wires”