Screen Time in Early Childhood, Especially for Enid

I admit that I continue to struggle with eliminating screen time from Enid's home life. It is something that is increasingly on my mind.

I watched television as a child and have some fond memories of movies and shows that I enjoyed. So why this animosity against TV for children today? Well, TV has changed quite drastically and only continues to get worse. Compounded on top of that is the commercialization of childhood in general and how you can't shop for groceries in a "regular" market without constantly being smacked in the face by a character.

Apparently, 36% of center-based child care programs use TV for an average of 1.2 hours a day, and 70% of home-based child care programs use TV for an average of 3.4 hours per day. I remember hearing over and over again from classmates that they would use TV to keep the children occupied as they cleaned up lunch or changed diapers. I was appalled but yet could understand the dilemma. A lot of child care teachers lack the skills to transition children smoothly between activities and they take the easy way out.

So here I am again, hating that we have a TV at all sometimes but then being glad it's there at night after Enid is in bed. There's got to be balance, you know?