The family advocacy organization, Common Sense Media released the results of a survey during the week that showed that 38% of children under two years old use their tablet or smartphone before they can speak, for playing games, watching videos and as an educational tool. By the age of eight, 72% of children have used the smart phone, tablet or a computer.
There is absolutely no question that the digital generation has well and truly arrived.
In just the last two years, TV and DVD use has declined, while kids are using tablets and smartphones for longer periods of time. What I love is that the study found that these young kids will walk up to a TV screen and try to swipe it like an iPad or an iPhone. I might add that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents should bar all screen time, including mobile devices, for children under two. I hate to say this, but it simply is not going to happen.