Getting your kid to bed at night is seriously one of the most challenging things you'll ever have to do. Most kids are just so full of energy that they'll tire you out before they're halfway through their store of energy. An easy thing to calm down your child to get into bed is giving in and allowing some iPad screen time. However, it's really not a great idea, just like you thought.
Researchers at the Arizona State University conducted a study with 547 kids between the ages of 7 to 9. Their parents tracked how much screen time the kids were allowed along with their sleep patterns. The study found that kids who did not engage in screen time before bed slept for 23 more minutes every week and also went to sleep about 34 minutes earlier than those playing with iPad. Although that might not seem like so much more time, quality of sleep is vastly important in Children's development.
The CDC's (美国疾病控制中心)2018 National Youth Risk Survey outlines that good quality sleep can impact a child's life in many ways, including affecting grades and also weight gain. Students with an "A" average slept for 30 or more minutes per night than those with a "D" or "F" average.
A 2018 Pennsylvania State University study showed that children with irregular bedtimes had a higher risk of having increased body weight. Those with consistent and age-appropriate bedtimes when they were 9 years old had a healthier BMI (体质指数)at age 15 than those with irregular bedtimes.
Hard as it is, it's really important not to give in and hand over an iPad to your child who is about to go to bed. Just like it's important for adults to go to sleep without any distractions, it's even more important for kids.
