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Screen Time and Square Eyes
Whilst I was on maternity leave the government guidance on screen time, Screen time guidance for under 5s was published. This included the phrase: ‘Juggling family life and raising children in a digital world can be challenging. Find out more about how to support healthy screen habits for children under 5’. The key points from the guidance are that if your child is under 2 screen time should be mostly avoided and if your child is 2-5 years old you should try to ensure that they have no more than an hour of screen time per day. There is also some screen time guidance for parents, with the suggestion that you should ‘be mindful’ of your own screen usage when with your child/children.
The reasons cited for this and the images provided seem to suggest that too much screen time is bad for children’s brains. I think for some parents there is probably a sense of relief that their concerns with screen time and there attempts at trying to limit this are validated by the government. I am sure others are probably not aware of the guidance at all.
Yet, this is another lot of guidance that is focused on the parents and perhaps another justification for the judgment of ‘bad parenting’. Yet, parents are sold screens of many varieties, phones, T.Vs, laptops, ipads etc. Children may notice that the lives of parents can sometimes revolve around screens because of screen usage when working at home, when communicating with people or when paying bills and using email for a variety of reasons. There are screens specifically marketed for children, such as kids electronic tablets, plus we are inundated with content aimed at children. There are whole franchises (like Disney) which are aimed at entertaining children via screens. For example, a browse of Disney Plus shows me that each Disney film tends to have a duration that exceeds the daily 1 hour screen time limit recommended by this guidance.
There is some brief reference to SEN children within the guidance but screen usage might also depend on different families. I.e., screen time might be useful sometimes within families that are navigating disabilities, single parenthood or the work and childcare juggle. It might also be a bit more difficult to limit screen time if you do not have a garden or have less money to pay for days out or frequently buy toys, books and activities to keep children entertained. We also seem to have a terrible issue within our mainstream culture in that the spaces that we frequent are not very family or child friendly so a screen may be a filler for those missing spaces or missed opportunities to go to the park in the winter as there’s no shelter, toilets and breastfeeding spaces etc.
Whilst growing up in the 90s I remember people telling me that I should not stand to near to the television because I will get ‘square eyes’, it is clear that we have a long standing culture of screen usage. The issue presented leave me to wonder how realistic is it to stick to this blanket style of guidance within our given context. Surely changes that could be made are not just about providing parents with guidance but also creating a better society?
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Tis very quiet on a Friday…
Fridays are an especially busy day for the BA Criminology and BA Criminology with Psychology students and staff: for some there are 6hours of classes today, finishing their Friday at 6pm! What a way to finish off the ‘working’ week: packed full of interesting discussions and learning. However, the vibe on the roads in via the morning commute and the silence rolling through the Library at 10am would suggest not everyone shares in a full-on Friday experience!
Friday evenings would mark the end of a long week for many, and the, hopefully, exciting possibilities the weekend might hold. But as I travelled into Northampton, on my usually very early and busy commute, I couldn’t help but notice the lighter quieter roads. It makes a nice change up- can leave a little later than usual and do not have to comprehend with the stresses of the morning rush hour: but why? Why have Fridays become quiet?
As many staff and students will know: car parking can be a smidge of a challenge when arriving for 9ams: but not on a Friday. Usually, to beat the rush, it is ideal to arrive at campus before 0830: but not on a Friday. 0845 and there remain many car parking spaces- again excellent to set up for a long day of studying but why the sudden quietness on a Friday? Is this a symptom of a wider issue?
There is a peaceful sense around campus today- despite the busy day for some courses. It feels very much like the week is over: should this be so overtly felt at 9am instead of 6pm? I have asked friends not in academia, and this Friday quietness appears to be across industries. Friday appears to be a favourite day to work from home: a gentle ease into the weekend. But should we be easing into the weekend or ending the ‘working’ week a little frazzled and desperate for the weekend ahead? Does it really matter? The grey weather we’ve been blessed with today I am sure does not help, and it is a nice change up from the mid-week hustle and bustle which exists on campus. But why have Fridays crept into this sort of ‘start of the weekend’ status? The Friday evening I can see being that representation: but the Friday morning? Maybe it’s a one-off and next week the roads and campus will be buzzing and hopefully the sun will be shining. But for today, the last Friday in February: its very much a gentle atmosphere on campus.
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Will Santa Visit?
For me Christmas always acts as a stark reminder of inequity, both past and present. I tend to remember television and music, stories of inequity between the haves and the have nots at Christmas time being told by the privileged few. Such as the Muppets Christmas Carol’s (1992) depiction of Tiny Tim, as being poor and disabled but ever so grateful for what he had. Quite recently I was doing some food shopping when I heard the Band Aid (1984) song, Do they know it’s Christmas playing on the tannoy. Despite the criticism relating to white privileged saviorism apparently still this song is popular enough to have a revival in 2024.
Christmas things cost money. So the differences between Christmas experiences of the haves and the have nots are drastic. Whilst many children are very aware that it is Christmas they might also be very aware of the financial constraints that their parents and/or guardians may be in. On the flip side there are other children who will have presents galore and are able to enjoy the festivities that Christmas bring.
This is also a time where goods are advertised and sold that are not needed and not recommended by healthcare professionals. Such as the sale of children’s toys that are dangerous for young children. For example, I was considering purchasing Water Beads as a fun crafting gift option for some children this year, until I was made aware that a children’s hospital and local playgroup are warning parents of the dangers of these as if swallowed can drastically expand in the body which could cause serious health complications.
It seems that social media also adds to the idea that parents and/or guardians should be providing more to enhance the Christmas experience. With posts about creating North Pole breakfasts, Christmas Eve boxes, matching Christmas family Christmas pajamas and expensive Santa visits. All of which come at a financial cost.
As well as this some toys that seem to be trending this year might be seen to misappropriate working class culture. For example, if your parents can afford to take you to Selfridges you can get a ‘fish and chip’ experience when buying Jelly Cat soft toys in the forms of items traditionally purchased from a fish and chip shop (see image above). This experience plus a bundle of these fish chips and peas soft toys cost £130 according to the Jelly Cat website. The profits gained for the Jelly Cat owners are currently being quoted in the news as being £58 million. Whilst at the same time some customers of these real life fish and shops will find it difficult to afford to buy a bag of chips. And some real life fish and chip businesses seem to be at risk of closure, in part due to high cost of living climate which impacts on cost of produce and bills.
Given the above issues it is not surprising that some children are worried that Santa won’t visit them this year.
