Mush or Master?

My son is a screen junkie.  Although he is an active, imaginative 4-year old boy, when there is a screen in his presence, his focus turns to that source of digital media.  He loves television, and although his preference is for children’s programming, he will sit and watch sports, the news and even the channel that shows geographical slideshows to music.  He knows how to order a Pay Per View movie and has figured out how to access his favourite shows on NetFlicks. 

His interest in digital media, however, doesn’t stop there.  For Christmas he received a Leapfrog LeapPad.  He could spend hours playing with this toy and when he gets bored of it, he reaches for his brothers Leapster for some alternate games and applications.  He was recently given a few educational CD’s, and when he gets home from pre-school he often goes right to the computer to play Clifford. 

His intense interest for digital media was brought to light at his family birthday party this past weekend.  We had a house full of people but rather than engaging in energetic, active play with his cousins, as he usually does, he turned his attention to various forms of technology.  First, he sat on the couch and began to play his LeapPad.  There was some degree of interaction as he showed his cousins what he was playing and they helped him with the more challenging games. When one of his cousins, however,  took out her iPod Touch and gave it to Joseph to play Angry Birds, he became completely engrossed in the game.  He did not interact with anyone around him and when we called his name he completely ignored us.  When his dad had decided that he had enough screen time, Joseph went downstairs and turned on the television and attempted to find a show that he wanted to watch.  I intervened and turned off the television but later, his attention was again focused on a screen when he sat with some of his cousins watching a game that one of them was playing on an iPad.  It was only when we opened his presents, and he had an abundance of new toys to attract his attention, that he became involved in ‘play’ that was not within a digital environment. 

As a parent, my strong inclination is to limit his ‘screen time’ (in our home, that is the amount of time he is allowed to interact with any digital media).  The many parenting and educational articles that I have read over the years all suggest that screen time be monitored and allowed in moderation and many have proposed that digital technology can over-stimulate young children, leading to behavioural difficulties and sleep challenges.  The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends a maximum of 2 hours per day of combined screen time for pre-school age children. 

Because of his strong inclination for digital technology, I do limit and monitor his screen time, and most of his shows and games are of an educational nature.  I know that through his LeapPad and computer games that he is learning literacy, problem-solving and creative skills and is developing fine-motor skills in his hands.  We enjoy watching quality shows like Sesame Street together (particularly on Saturday mornings).  He enjoys playing games and sports and loves to read.  He is a very social child and regularly engages in play with his brother and his friends. 

Still, however, I am concerned about how much screen time is too much and I wonder about the negative impact of this hyper-stimulating environment.  Should his passion for digital technology be curbed?  Can it be curbed?  Does digital play offer the kind of quality constructive, interactive play that young children need for cognitive and social development?  With technology being such a pervasive presence in our society, should the amount of screen time for pre-school aged children be increased to allow them to learn the digital literacy skills they need for the 21^st century?    These are the questions that I wrestle with as a parent and an educator.  I guess it’s now my job to try and seek some answers before my son’s brain goes to mush; or before he becomes a technical master.