Smartphones and Video Viewing

The recently released Common Sense Census offers helpful insights into the ways that our children and teens are using media. Perhaps you’re wondering what kids are doing on those devices during the many hours that they spend on them each day. It seems that the number one activity kids engage in is viewing online videos, like those you find on Youtube and other video sharing platforms. In fact, in the four year period between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of kids watching videos every day has more than doubled, and the average amount of time they spend watching videos has doubled. Parents, we suggest that you spend time learning about what your kids are watching online, and interacting with them about developing skills of media discernment that lead them into engaging with online video content that is constructive rather than destructive. Teach them to filter all that they see and hear through the framework of a biblical worldview. Remember, what they see is shaping them.