Nana Aba Anamoah
Broadcast journalist, Nana Aba Anamoah, has raised concern over rising screen time among toddlers, urging parents to stop using devices as babysitters.
“Can we talk about toddlers being raised by screens these days? I get it that parents are tired — there are meals to cook, work to do, emails to respond to, and sometimes you really and truly just need a little peace of mind,” she said.
Speaking on the issue, Nana Aba revealed she has consulted neurologists and child development experts, who are increasingly worried about the amount of screen time young children are getting.
“But screens are not nannies,” she stated, and pointed out that even most of the people who built the technology we use daily limit screen use for their own children. “If they are doing it, why are you allowing your child to spend all their time on the screen?” she quizzed.
“A screen can truly keep a child quiet, but so can a book. And I’m not saying this because I’m a bibliophile, by the way, as somebody who loves books,” she stated, stressing that engagement doesn’t have to come from devices alone.
“It’s not just books that keep children engaged. Conversations, imaginative play, puzzles, colouring, playing outside — indulging in outdoor activities are all very good activities for children to grow,” she added.
Nana Aba clarified that she is not anti-screen, saying, “I am definitely not anti-screen. I’m against screens replacing childhood. So if your toddler can spend hours on a tablet but struggles to sit through a storybook or engage with people around them, then you need to be very concerned. You should be worried, and it’s not even good for their eyes, come to think of it.”
She cautioned that, “You need to protect your children, you need to care about your children,” stressing that child health experts continue to recommend limited, supervised screen time for children under five, with emphasis on interactive and outdoor play for healthy development.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke