Summer Challenge: Cut Down Your TV Time

Is screen time our only time? It seems like we are growing more and more attached to our many devices. We scroll up them and down them during conversations, watch them during free time, and have them light up our rooms during dinner. 

We’re not saying that we are against screen time but we are advocating for active options as healthy alternatives for time well spent. 

Can you cut down on screen time this summer?

During the school year, watching TV is the #1 afterschool activity for most kids. Now that school is out, it can be easy to let screen time consume an entire summer. Screen time itself is not a bad thing, but too much of a good thing can have negative consequences.

School-age children spend an average of 7.5 hours a day on screen time. And, because screen time is usually a sedentary activity, it cuts into or totally eliminates the time we spend being physically active. Screen time is often associated with unnecessary snacking and paired with bedtime. That means we are adding to our daily calorie count as well as increasing chances for irregular sleeping patterns. Both of these can negatively impact our health.

So we are challenging you to cut down on screen time this summer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that screen time for kids should be limited to one or two hours a day. Can you?

Get the latest screen time stats and learn ways to decrease screen time in your house: http://bit.ly/18DnDpk

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This information was provided by The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and to empower kids to develop lifelong healthy habits. For more materials like this one, visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.

Image credit: Paul Souders via Flickr