With all of the screen media (iPads, iTouch, iPhone, Kindle, laptops, etc.) inundating our childrens’ lives, just as many varied answers exist regarding the limitations for such media. The American Academy of Pediatrics tried to address these concerns and released a statement in October which received a somewhat lackluster response from some educators, researchers and media professionals. Well, the NAEYC & The Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning & Children’s Media joined forces releasing their most powerful statement on March 7, 2012, essentially stating that screen technology for young children should not be vilified.
The statement goes on to explain that “our world and technology are rapidly changing”, producing new powerful and imaginative tools, which are not going to (nor should they) leave us. While we must always pay strict attention to the quality of our content, it’s never been more important to educate society on how to properly utilize such tools to benefit our children.
As a creator of thought provoking, quality content for children, I’ve been living that message to inspire children for almost twenty years…so it’s nice to have such power supporting my beliefs.
It’s about education. Not pointing fingers.
[Read the full NAEYC/Fred Rogers statement here]
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Glad someone is taking a stand for GOOD QUALITY EDUCATIONAL content. The negative focus should only be on content that is overly commercialized or of no educational value. Yes, I think sometimes kids do need a laugh, so watching shows that are just plain funny are important too, but overall, kids need to continue to develop so if they are watching TV, it should be something that is thought provoking. We can leave some of the fun to parents when the kids aren’t watching TV and instead are getting outdoors to enjoy their environment. Well, that’s how I balance it all.
Tiffany