A report created by Nancy Carlsson-Paige, co-founder and senior advisor, Defending the Early Years (D.E.Y.)
Nancy Carlsson-Paige wrote a report regarding the current struggles parents and caretakers undergo, about the appropriateness of screen time and device use by young children. According to Carlsson-Paige:
When I talk with parents these days, they often say that their children’s lives are very different from what their own childhoods were like. Frequently, they name technology as the single biggest change in their kids’ lives — and in their own lives too. Many parents go on to say that their children are on screens more than they want them to be, and that screen use is often a source of conflict with their children. Many express uncertainty about however they are letting their kids use screens, and a sense that they might be doing it “wrong.” I’m hoping that the ideas in this report will resonate in a positive way for readers by providing some helpful new information and support on this challenging topic — that’s my goal in writing this.
Carlsson-Paige provided suggestions on what families can do at home by following 6 core ideas:
- Young children use their whole bodies and all of their senses to learn about the world.
- Young children learn from direct, first-hand experience in the real world.
- Young children learn from inventing ideas.
- Young children make sense of their world through play.
- Young children build inner resilience and coping skills through play.
Children live and learn in a context of social relationships.
Each core idea is followed by suggestions on how to put these to use. The full report is available on the D.E.Y. website in English and Spanish. Besides the report, the website offers many resources such as podcasts, blogs, and a free monthly newsletter, in support of restoring early childhood in a time when ALL children need opportunities to thrive.
