Councilor Connolly Urges Less TV for Kids

Boston City Councilor John Connolly paid a visit to the South End on Thursday to help introduce off a nation-wide initiative to limit childrens' exposure to television, computers and other screened devices.

In his remarks, the at-large councilor spoke more as a parent than an elected official.

“As a parent I’m incredibly lucky,” he said. “I have a phenomenal partner in my wife who helps me parent our two children, I have my parents who live nearby….we have my wife’s parents who do the same [and] we have a host of friends who are parents.”

“It creates for us a network of resources,” he added, something many parents in Boston don’t enjoy.

For those parents, television, video games, and computers are useful diversions for children when a spouse or relative isn’t available to help. Other parents allow unlimited time in front of the screen because they aren’t aware of the dangers associated with it – Connolly acknowledged his own naïveté during his early parenting years.

“Every parent, at the moment their child is born, is absolutely clueless about how to parent,” he said. “It is a unique feeling and an often scary feeling.”

As a result, parents are exposing pre-school children to an estimated 32 hours of screen-time per week, according to Dr. Susan Linn, co-founder and director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Forty-three percent of 3-month-old infants are regular viewers of screen media and 19 percent of babies have a television in their bedroom.

Linn’s campaign is focused on educating parents and organizations on the dangers of too much screen-time. Societal issues such as childhood obesity, poor school performance and limited attention span can be linked to the amount of time children spend in front of a screen, which is less time spent running around outside or interacting with parents.

Screen-Free Week, which Governor Deval Patrick officially proclaimed for the state of Massachusetts, runs from April 18-24. During that week, organizers are encouraging parents and schools to turn off televisions and other screened devices.

By doing so, parents will automatically interact more with their children, an invaluable activity for infants and toddlers, Connolly said.

“Quite simply, parents need to talk to their children…it’s hugely important,” he said. “If your child’s watching the TV they’re not acquiring language.”

By allowing children to turn to the television or video games when they’re upset, parents are also teaching them to use the screen as a coping mechanism, Connolly added. Watching TV has also been proven to disrupt sleeping patterns in children under three years of age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under 2 years of age, and less than two hours a day for older children. With flat-screens, laptops and smart phones becoming such an integral part of our daily lives, screen-free time becomes even more important, Linn said.

Companies such as Walt Disney have gone so far as to introduce videos and other media products targeting babies. One such video, dubbed “Baby Einstein,” was taken off shelves following an official request from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Linn said.

“There is no evidence at all that babies learn anything meaningful from television and screens,” she said. “There is some evidence that they may be harmful.

For at least a week, Finn is asking parents to explore alternative activities that don’t involve a screen. She's hoping that parents will feel inspired to give up television in favor of healthier activities. 

“Use it as a lifestyle changer,” she said. “Take a vacation from screens and explore the wonders of the rest of the world.”

As for Connolly, he'll be doing his part by taking a break from his Blackberry during council meetings.

"I lead the council in texting during meetings," he admitted with a smile. "I have pledged to stop."

Click here more information on the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and Screen Free Week.