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“Mom, can I have a TV in my room?” asks my nine year old daughter. “No”, I say for the eighteenth time. “Why not? EVERYONE else does” she scowls as she recites the favorite child phrase of every parent. “Because TV rots your brain” I respond as she wrinkles her nose at me. “You can have a TV in your room, when I have one in mine” I say. She looks at me smugly and replies “Or when I move away to college” and bounds out of the room.

Yet another study came out recently linking the amount of screen time to children’s attention span. And not in a good way. The recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics is two hours or less per day of screen time (this includes computer and video games) for children over age two. Most children get much more than this.

I personally have used the TV/computer/video games as a babysitter when I’m cooking supper or trying to get something done in house. The trick is paying attention to how much time has actually elapsed and moving them on to another project in a timely manner. This was much easier to do when they were younger, but at age 9 and 7, electronics are already a huge part of their lives.

I know I struggle myself with electronics. I rarely watch TV because I suffer from Young Syndrome. Never heard of it? It’s a hereditary thing. My maiden name is Young and my father, brother and I all possess the dominant gene. We are all capable of completely shutting out everything around us while fully immersing ourselves in what is flickering on the screen in front of us. A movie I’ve seen over and over – I can tune in right in the middle of the movie and stay up way past my bedtime because I have to see the end. I’ve SEEN the end. Over and over. Why do I do this? Sports are just as bad. If I start watching a sporting event, I can’t turn it off until I know who won. Home improvement shows are the very worst. How can you not watch to see how they transformed that hideous couch that was grandma’s into something that matches the beautiful new living room they’ve created? Consequently, I just try not to watch TV. Exceptions are of course made during NCAA Football season. The kids know they can only ask me for things during commercials when Nebraska is on TV.

The problem is, I know I have passed on Young Syndrome to my children. They can completely zone everything out during an episode of Phineas and Ferb (I can too – I love Dr. Doofenshmirtz!). Since they lack the same control as I over the evil screen of light, I find that I must step in as a parent and get them going in a different direction. We will often set timers- the beeping of the timer on the microwave seems to wake them from their trance-like state. There may be some grumbling, but I’m always amazed at the games they come up with by using their imaginations. Sometimes we play together, sometimes they are left to their own devices. We try to keep them busy with lots of activities and they know by this point that their screen time is limited and they may as well come up with something else to do.

Parents have to intervene though. Other children who suffer from maladies like Young Syndrome just don’t have the wherewithal to turn off the evil light themselves. Turn off the TV during mealtimes. Play best thing-worst thing (about your day) and see where the conversation goes (parents must share also).

I’m hoping someday the kids will give up on the TV in their bedroom thing. Maybe when EVERYONE else doesn’t have one in their room!

About the author: Becky Sullivan

Becky Sullivan is the Business Health Coordinator at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital. She earned a Master of Science Degree in Health Promotion from Nebraska Methodist College. In her role at the hospital she works with local businesses in setting up wellness programs and activities, coordinates community health education programs and directs the MLMH employee wellness program. She is also co-chair of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce Wellforce committee, member of the Hastings Health Ministry Network and member of the Healthy Hastings coalition.