What’s happening to the bedtime story? A study carried about by Common Sense Media has found that American children aged between 0 and 8 now spend more than triple the amount of time watching television than reading book
s. or having stories read to them. The research also looked at the growing use of mobile devices by children.
Anyone with a young child, niece or nephew will know the ease with which they take to devices like smartphones and tablets. Within minutes they seem to have the hang of it, swiping, pinching, and possibly even purchasing a few things they shouldn’t be.
A recent study by Common Sense Media looked at the use of mobile devices by children in the US, as well as other screen media in the home. It found that many children now spend more than triple the amount of time engaged with screen media than they do with books. Although the use of mobile devices is increasing among children, it’s the television that still dominates the lives of many.
According to the results of the study, 53 percent of all children have access to a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet computer, with 20 percent of all parents having downloaded apps specifically for their children to use.
Apparently 10 percent of 0- to 1-year-olds have used a mobile device, though beyond dribbling over it and sitting on it, it’s not certain what benefit they actually get from it.
In a typical day, the results found that 11 percent of all 0- to 8-year-olds use a mobile device, spending an average of 43 minutes doing so.
Computers are also widely used, with 22 percent of 5- to 8-year-olds using one at least once a day, and 46 percent at least once a week.
The study also found that:
- there exists a significant digital divide. Although 72 percent of 0- to 8-year-olds have a computer at home, access to it ranges from 48 percent among those from low-income families (under $30,000 a year) to 91 percent among higher-income families (over $75,000 a year).
- an “app gap” has also developed. Only 14 percent of lower-income parents have ever downloaded apps for their children to use, compared to 47 percent of higher-income parents. Thirty-eight percent of lower-income parents say they don’t even know what an app is, compared to just 3 percent of higher-income parents.
- In a typical day, the study found, 47 percent of babies aged between 0 and 1 watch television or DVDs, and of those, an average of almost two hours (1hr 54mins) is spent doing so.
- Almost one in three (30 percent) of children aged between 0 and 2 has a television in their bedroom.
- Children aged between 0 and 8 spend an average of 1hr 44mins a day watching television or DVDs, compared to only 29 minutes reading books or having stories read to them.
The purpose of Common Sense Media’s study is to provide those concerned with promoting healthy child development – such as educators, pediatricians and public health advocates – with reliable information about media use among children.
Almost 1,400 parents with children aged between 0 and 8 were questioned in the study.
EXCLUSIVE – Players put the knife in, says disappointed Els
Ernie Els has hit out at players who criticised his redesign of Wentworth’s West Course this week, saying they had “put the knife” into him.
Wentworth owner Richard Caring, who spent 6.5 million pounds ($9.34 million) on the changes, had been “kicked in the teeth” by the players, Els told Reuters in an exclusive interview .
“If they had criticisms they could’ve handled it differently. That’s the sad part of the whole week, a lot of the guys I’ve known for a very long time came out and basically put the knife in and I don’t really appreciate that,” Els said on Sunday.
The redesign left few of the 18 holes untouched and several players at the PGA Championship complained in the media about the changes, especially the new moat and elevated green at the 18th.
“There is going to be criticism with any new design but I really wasn’t expecting the backlash I got,” Els said. “I don’t think anybody deserved it.
“If the people who made all those comments, especially the players, look back at what they said and what they achieved this week, it was all negative,” said Els after finishing well down the field following a closing 72 for 287, three over par.
“The tour doesn’t need it, the club doesn’t need it, the owner who has put all this money in doesn’t need it, I don’t need it.”
Caring acknowledged mistakes had been made with the redesign of the famous West Course and told reporters on Friday that he would take the blame.
“It’s unfortunate he had to come out (and say that),” said Els. “He is the guy who spent 6.5 million pounds on the changes.
“Who on earth is going to spend that money to enhance a golf course on television and make the sponsor happy, make the players happy and then the players kick him in the teeth because they don’t like a couple of holes?
CRITICAL COMMENTS
“For all this money we are playing for (a $5.63-million prize fund) we could be playing down the road…not come in here like a bunch of spoiled golfers,” said the world number seven.
“This guy is enhancing the flagship event, the whole tour, and players come in and criticise that. That’s amazing — how must he feel?”
Els said he could not understand why some players had not spoken to him directly.
“Some players who made critical comments came to me, some players haven’t come to me — and I don’t understand that.”
The 40-year-old South African added: “Obviously the 18th didn’t quite come out the way we wanted…but we didn’t need a bunch of know-all people to criticise everything — that is the disappointing part.
“These greens were only laid in November and December and we are now holding the biggest tournament on tour on these greens. I think it’s a hell of a feat by the whole team.”
Els said he would make some changes for the 2011 PGA Championship, particularly the eighth and 18th holes.
“Definitely 18. I can show you the plans I drew for it at the get-go,” said Els. “I’d also like to make changes on eight, I don’t like the heather on the mounds there.
“I’d even like to change the eighth green because that’s another one I wanted lower.
“But for the rest I think it’s unbelievable. The green superintendent Chris Kennedy has really got these bunkers almost the way we want them,” added the triple major winner.
(Editing by Clare Fallon; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)