Screen time

I've been thinking lately about the issue of screen time for the boys, as I've noticed Ben trying to process everything he sees by asking endless questions or acting out different characters.

Worryingly, studies of brain scans suggest that 'Too Much Screen Time Damages the Brain'. So-called 'screen addicted' brains show several changes in the regions involving emotions, attention and decision making.

I don't really think my boys qualify for 'addicted', but might the screen time they have - not just the tv, but games on my laptop and phone - be creating subtle damage?

A 2010 study claims that the average child clocks up more than seven hours of screen time a day (far more than my boys), and may experience sensory overload, lack of sleep, and a hyperaroused nervous system.