Screen time. It’s the new buzzword in
parental anxiety. Parents are constantly bombarded with advice and warnings
regarding how much time their kids spend in front of the TV, computer, tablet,
and phone. To be sure, our lives definitely revolve around screens.
Even adults spend most of our working lives and leisure time (and all
those “in between” times like waiting in line or at a doctor’s office) are
spent in front of screens.
I think we can all appeal to common sense when
it comes to limiting screen time. Rather than giving into hysteria or the
latest trend, let’s acknowledge we all live in the 21st century and technology
is deeply enmeshed in our individual lives and society at large. But we
all know when enough is enough. Kids who are staring blankly at a TV or
phone like zombies or refuse to go outside on a sunny day need a break.
Adults who are constantly posting on social media or teens who can’t let
go of the phone at the dinner table need a break. Even just feeling anxious can
be a sign that a digital detox is a must.
To be sure, reading is a great antidote to an
excess of screen time. Books fire the imagination, provide an escape from
our realities, and stimulate our minds. We certainly encourage all families to
come to the library to check out books for kids. But there are times as a
parent when you need a break but don’t want to turn to screen for some much
needed sanity. Maybe you have a child who talks non-stop in the car or a
set of siblings who can't stop arguing. Perhaps you have an only child
who relies on you for interaction and you need a parental timeout!
Whatever the situation, there other solutions than just toughing it out
or calling in TV babysitter. We need to cultivate the lost art of
listening.
My sanity as a mother relies on two very
important types of media: music and podcasts. To be fair, we watch plenty
of TV. At age 4, my daughter can already operate most iPhone apps better
than I can. In order to get away from screens, music is my go-to. Even
as a baby, my daughter has always gravitated towards music. Her first
hand gesture involved waving her hand like a conductor in order to compel a
willing grandparent to sing to her. We started off with kid’s classics
like Raffi’s Singable Songs for the Very
Young, Elizabeth Mitchell’s Little
Seed, and Cedarmont Kids’ 100
Singalongs for Kids. All three of these albums contain wonderful
kids’ music but you can only hear “The Wheels on the Bus” so many times before
you start to lose your mind.
Wading into the world of pop music can be a
minefield for parents but it’s necessary to expand kids’ musical horizons. Many
parents test the waters with ubiquitous Kidz Bop compilations. The Kidz
Bop brand touts that their music is “sung by kids for kids” and features
up-to-the-minute, clean versions of current pop songs. Parents can listen
to Top 40 hits without the worry of their children hearing explicit words or
content. Library patrons can either borrow Kidz Bop CDs from the
Children’s Room collection or stream various Kidz Bop compilations from Hoopla, the library’s digital streaming
service.
Another route to listening to decent music with
kids are soundtracks to popular children’s movies. Most parents know their
children are obsessed with the Minions from the Despicable Me and
Minions movie franchises. Those little yellow melodious henchmen will
forever have a place in my heart for getting my daughter to listen to “Break On
Through (To The Other Side)” by The Doors. I’m sure Jim Morrison never
thought his music would reach a new audience via an animated film.
Watching the film Sing also introduced us to the Beatles via
Jennifer Hudson’s amazing performance of “Golden Slumber/Carry That Weight” as
Meena, the elephant. We’ve since gone to explore the art of “the cover” by
playing Lennon and McCartney’s original song, then listening to Jennifer
Hudson’s version and then comparing them both to Ben Folds’ rendition of the
Beatles’ classic from Abbey Road.
Podcasts for kids are also an option to keep up
kids’ listening skills. Podcasts are downloadable audio files, usually on
a particular topic or in a series. Adults have been obsessing over them
ever since Serial but there are now tons of podcasts geared for children
and family listening. My personal favorite is the simply titled Stories
Podcast which features artfully narrated renditions of classic fairytales
and new stories, often peppered with original songs. It’s another great
way to sneak in some literature into your kids’ media diets and could keep the
whole family happy for a car ride or a rainy afternoon. Kids with a love
of science might enjoy Brains On!, a podcast that features scientific
exploration about the topics kids think about. Each episode is co-hosted
by the child who poses the question for that week. If your family likes to
ruminate about big ideas, Short & Curly might be a great listen.
Each week poses real life ethical dilemmas for kids to consider and
presents evidence from all sides of an issue. Similarly, there’s But
Why?, a series devoted to answering kids’ favorite question.
Clearly, when we need a break from screens,
listening to various types of media can provide great entertainment and
information for children and families. Kids can learn new things and
explore different subjects while parents get to keep their sanity while feeling
good about expanding their family's horizons and honing their listening skills.
Sounds like a win-win for everyone!
