In mommy-speak the words 害羞草研究所渟creen time害羞草研究所� are code for 害羞草研究所測ou害羞草研究所檙e really screwing up this parenting gig if your little human watches TV or stares into the black mirror of the family iPad for more than a nanosecond.害羞草研究所�

I害羞草研究所檝e also learned if who you are speaking to refers to 害羞草研究所淭V or video games害羞草研究所� as 害羞草研究所淭V or video games,害羞草研究所� don害羞草研究所檛 then call it screen time, because that means you害羞草研究所檙e about to be marked as an uptight hover mom.

This is high stakes stuff in the mommy-verse. In all aspects of modern society, really. Continually advancing technology, in all its forms, is presenting the biggest challenge in today害羞草研究所檚 parenting.

Every time humans have gone about charting new ground it害羞草研究所檚 been problematic, mind you. Think 害羞草研究所渃olonization.害羞草研究所�

While this should be less bloody害羞草研究所攌nock on wood害羞草研究所攎y human was born into a world completely different than the one I was, let alone every previous generation.

My mother害羞草研究所檚 dogeared copy of Dr. Spock certainly never addressed how to balance a world bent on advancing technological integration into all facets of daily life against my social and intellectual development. All she had to worry about was making sure I didn害羞草研究所檛 bonk my head as I learned to walk; chewed my food before I swallowed; brushed my teeth; didn害羞草研究所檛 run into traffic; didn害羞草研究所檛 pick my nose in public. The end, more or less.

Meanwhile, I害羞草研究所檝e thought myself into circles about this topic and I害羞草研究所檝e learned I害羞草研究所檓 not alone. A study out of England says that approximately 25 per cent of parents consider balancing technological advancements with their parenting aims is their number one concern.

That there are no clear answers is likely what害羞草研究所檚 prompted the confusion. Some sociologists say more screen time will produce more sociopaths, some people point out that it makes no sense to deny technology to a child when that is the reality of the world they害羞草研究所檒l eventually enter as adults. And then are concerns about how being attached to a computer and/or phone screen is actually changing human posture. There害羞草研究所檚 much more to worry about, of course.

I got a whopping 141 million articles when I did a news search with 害羞草研究所渟creen time害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所減arenting害羞草研究所� as the parameters.

The tech/parenting story I have found most alarming, however, is out of England.

害羞草研究所淲hy are British kids so unhappy? Two words: screen time害羞草研究所� came out of the Guardian.

I didn害羞草研究所檛 even know British kids were unhappy. British adults tend to be a bit dour害羞草研究所攊n my family at least害羞草研究所攕o I think it害羞草研究所檚 a bit rich to put it all on the glowing devices we害羞草研究所檝e come to cherish.

Nonetheless, the story refers to NSPCC chief executive, Peter Wanless, warning of a nation of deeply unhappy children due to 害羞草研究所渢he pressure to keep up with friends and have the perfect life online...adding to the sadness that many young people feel on a daily basis.害羞草研究所�

Figures released by counselling service ChildLine reveal low self-esteem to be among the most prevalent problems reported by today害羞草研究所檚 youth.

It害羞草研究所檚 one thing for me to judge myself against the reel of flattering selfies on social media sites, but the idea that my perfect pickle will one day believe he doesn害羞草研究所檛 stack up to some filtered version of reality causes me great consternation.

Have we traded convenience for emotional well being? Is connectivity worth what we害羞草研究所檙e giving up?

Time will tell. And, I will do my best to make things clear to my little human. The delight he gets from flipping through the pages of a book will be something I try to protect.

The fun of fantasizing of other worlds and adventures, I hope, will remain a greater draw than the flickering light emanating from a video game or social media site.

When I害羞草研究所檓 ousted in the years to come, and his peer group gets in there, is where the problem will likely arise.

Screen time, I hope, will evolve into something that raises us up not pushes us down.

Time will tell. Maybe someone will make an app for that. If not I害羞草研究所檒l be hovering close by with a book in hand.