Screens at School: A Growing Concern (with Matt Todd)

Are school-issued devices fueling children’s screen addiction? The American Academy of Pediatrics sets screen-time standards, and we do our best to limit kids’ time on devices, but what is happening in classrooms? Matt Todd, host of The Ranch Podcast, first realized the extent of the problem while volunteering in his son’s first-grade classroom. After his son finished an assignment early, he was “rewarded” with free time on his school-issued Chromebook. With internet browsers and YouTube enabled for educational purposes, the options for entertainment are endless – along with the dangers that come with unsupervised browsing. Kids use their school Chromebooks and iPads during passing periods, at lunch, and even at home (after homework is done). Gamified education, once lauded as a solution to make learning more exciting, is actually fueling an addiction to devices and the behavioral problems that accompany it.    Matt has been working with school board officials in Idaho, and he believes they are actively seeking solutions to this growing problem. In this episode, he shares his insights with Nicki of Scrolling 2 Death and explains how raising awareness and educating parents is the best way to make a difference for kids now. This episode is sponsored by Bark Technologies. Learn about the Bark Phone: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2deathbp Learn about the Bark App for iPhones and Androids: https://info.bark.us/scrolling2death_bark *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF Learn about the Bark Watch: https://barkparentalcontrols.pxf.io/c/5214646/2204011/17000 *Use code SCROLLING2DEATH FOR 10% OFF