The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents keep their children under the age of two from having any screen time--that’s television as well as gadgets like mobile phones and tablets.
But what we should do and what we actually do are two different things, as parents discover the world over just how well their iPhones or iPads work as a pacifier for their kids. Experts all seem to think that children learn better with traditional activities like drawing or playing, but the reality is that it is getting harder and harder to ensure kids stay “screen free.”
While it seems like an inevitability, how young is too young to expose a child to a device? Is there any educational value to phone or tablet apps that target toddlers?
Dr. Ari Brown, a pediatrician in Austin, Texas, and author of Baby 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice For Your Baby's First Year
Sharon Rechter, executive vice president of business development and marketing at BabyFirst TV
Caroline Knorr, parenting editor at Common Sense Media
Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood