Let’s talk about our kids.
The most unusual school year is about to start. Once again, COVID is pushing all of us to face new and difficult decisions.
As your chiropractors and particularly for Dr. Linda who specializes in the neurodevelopment of children’s brain and learning, the options presented to parents are concerning.
The stakes are high. Literally, an entire generation’s normal brain development. If you have followed this blog for a while, you have read several times about studies that showed that screen time is detrimental to kid’s brains. We have reported on multiple occasions the published guidelines from CDC and national pediatric organizations. The hazard of screen time is well established.
Now, conflicting messages are sent your way. Screen time is bad for kids and should be very limited. Yet, many schools will be providing only online (on-screen) education this year. In this article, neuroscientists talk about “impoverished” brain stimulation. Harvard News and Research Report.
So what is a parent to do? How do we keep our kids safe, continue their education, and avoid stunting their brain’s development? Even better, how do we help our kids thrive in this environment? Here are some options and recommendations that I hope help you navigate this crazy world.
COVID virulence and schooling options are not my expertise, so I will let you seek information from reliable sources. However, screentime and childhood brain development are central to our work. The reality is that screen time is detrimental to kids (and adults). If schooling is shifted to an online model, it becomes imperative to provide our kids with a degree of protection.
Here is our list of tips to help your kids thrive:
- Have your kids spend time outdoors.
- Encourage you child or teen to move their body more than they used to.
- Make sure they see greenery every day.
- Give them the opportunity to play and do sports.
- And while you limit screentime (phone, iPad, TV, computers…) make sure that they have good posture when they inevitably do use screens.
As always, when in doubt, ask us. We are here to help.