01/23/2026
Side Effects of Screen Time Showing Up in the Classroom
As parents, we are bombard by the negative effects of screens on our children. We know that the amount of screen time increases each year for children, and the amount of screen time increases as children grow.
Our teachers are observing the effect screen time on the elementary students. Students are:
* Struggling to focus on their work,
* Aimlessly wandering about the classroom seeking unstructured time to connect with their peers,
* Anxious about homework assignments which compete with screen time and extra-curricular activities,
* Expect lessons to be “flashy and short” like the YouTube and video games.
Some suggestions for helping our students:
* Avoid too many afterschool, structured activities,
* Create times to interact with the family without distractions,
* Allow your child to be “bored.”
Free time and being “bored” provide children with the opportunity to develop skills of creativity, planning, problem solving, and organization. Children will develop these skills if they are required to fill this ”bored” time independently. Initially, they might be frustrated. If we let them be responsible for how they fill the time, they will learn to manage their frustration. Another excellent skill to hone.
