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Is it OK to be on your phone with young children?

Unplug and Play day aims to educate about effects of screen time

mother scrolls Facebook on her phone while she breastfeeds her baby; a father chats on the phone while balancing his toddler on his knee at the park; parents hand over their iPads to twin 18-month-olds to get through a restaurant meal in peace. These are common and innocent-looking scenes, but they are symbolic of a damaging trend, according to studies. 

“One of the things we are finding is especially really, really young children are exposed to way too much screen time, and it is affecting their development and making them more vulnerable when they get into school,” said Julie van Eesteren, early years coordinator at Sea to Sky Community Services.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under age two – “none whatsoever,” emphasized van Eesteren.

Young children are also being impacted by a lack of eye contact and interaction with their parents while the adults are focused on screens, van Eesteren said. 

“We want parents to realize they also need to put their devices down and connect with their kids,” she said. “Breastfeeding moms are not looking at their beautiful babies, which they should be doing. Babies really need that eye contact in order for their social, emotional development to happen normally. They are looking at their phones.” 

Parents don’t mean to damage their children, van Eesteren stressed; it is a lack of understanding. 

“Parents are unaware this is really bad for their children,” she said. 

As a way to create awareness, Sea to Sky Community Services has planned an educational day for young families. A family-friendly Unplug and Play Day is scheduled for Sunday May 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Brennan Park Recreation Centre. 

The day’s activities are still being planned, but some early ideas include yoga, dance, music, bike skills and art activities. 

The Squamish artists’ collective Visuals is committed to having two age-based activity tables at the event with artists Elena Whitman, Andrea Andres and Dawna Werbeski working with children aged four to eight years at one table, and those nine to 14 years old at the other table, according to Whitman. 

“We will show that even rocks can become toys, if you know how to paint or decorate them,” said Whitman. 

There will also be several tutorial lessons on cartoon painting and drawing. 

Whitman grew up in Russia, where screens were not part of her upbringing, she said. “You were always playing outside,” she said. “Running around, playing hide and seek, whatever, fresh air and everything.” 

The more children are away from screens and exposed to their artistic side, the more chance for them to develop that aspect of themselves, Whitman said. 

Her hope is more Squamish youngsters will get involved with the arts through a first step exposure at the May 1 event.

“Who knows? Maybe there will be a new generation of artists here.” 

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