I needed a presentation, and I provided the case study and the bibliography and the topic
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Parenting Action Plan Summary
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Parenting Action Plan Summary
Introduction
Due to the growing popularity of digital technology, children have adopted various behaviors in their social settings. The one that seems most affected by these changes is the amount of screen time in childhood, especially for young children, with parents, caregivers, and educators expressing their concerns. The study also revealed that increased screen time is associated with poor behavior and emotional well-being and affects cognition, most critically among the young. The case study discussed in detail referred to a three-year-old child from a middle-income family who has started displaying some behavioral problems like irritability, temper tantrums, and poor concentration, thought to have been influenced by excessive screen time. Hence, this paper aims to design an effective parenting action plan based on the evidence for countering these issues, including strategies for decreasing children's screen time and encouraging healthier developmental actions. With the help of information about child development and behavior, this action plan will describe methods for modifying the child's behavior at home, in childcare facilities, and in society to ensure a positive outcome.
Statement of the problem
This case study is about a three-year-old child in a middle-class family, and the specific issue of interest to study is what happens to a three-year-old child when he or she continuously uses the screen for a long time. They also get easily frustrated, throw many tantrums, are more defiant, and cannot focus well, which shows that the child becomes more problematic when exposed to frequent screen time. The child has two working parents: an elder child and a child of concern. As both parents go to work full-time, the other options include watching TV or using other digital devices during weekdays to entertain the child (Kalinowski, 2020). However, the increased behavioral concerns suggest that screen time will reduce the child’s emotional investment, social interaction, and cognitive progress. The following questions raise concerns that need to be addressed, including the impact of time spent in front of a television screen on the child's ability to manage their emotions, focusing capacity, and interpersonal relationships. Second, future studies are necessary to establish the extent of generalization of screen time use by the family and other influential factors, including daycare and the physical environment, on key behavioral indicators. To respond to these concerns, a strategic intervention plan should be designed to reduce the amount of time spent on screen and increase the level of activities that would elicit increased positive behavioral responses.
Parenting or Developmental Theories
To develop the proposed action plan, it is crucial to introduce well-proven parenting and child development theories that will help explain the screen time's impact on children's behavior and development. Two crucial theories that shall be used in formulating the action plan are the Attachment Theory and the Cognitive Development Theory. These theories help to understand how children's experiences in the early years prepare them for managing their emotions, thinking, and behaving in the right ways affected by the extended hours spent watching screens.
Attachment Theory
Attachment theory by Johns Bowlby in the 1950s forges that childhood relationships are the foundation of future patterns of psychosocial development. In this concept, two main attachment patterns are identified, referring to the extent of the intimate bond that a child feels with at least one of the parent figures, and these attachments are postulated to influence later emotional growth and relationships. According to the theory, appropriate caregiving practices that involve sensitivity to the child and consist of appropriate, predictable, affirmative, and nurturing responses to the child's need foster a secure base, fostering secure attachment, which is central to regulating affect and acquiring social competence. In light of spending too much time in front of screens, the attachment perspective prevents children from building secure relationships with caregivers through objects such as screens. Some effects include children spending most of their time in front of screens and not having time to face their parents physically, which is essential in bonding (Whitty, 2022). These interactions not only lessen or reduce children's fears but also assist the kids in regulating their anger and their behaviors. Also, spending more time watching TV may lead to increased irritability as well as the tendency of the child to have a hard time managing his/her conduct, as seen in the case study. This means that those children who do not receive consistent and sensitive care will lack proper mechanisms or regulation of emotions, leading them to act out some of the uncontrolled anger with aggression and tantrums, as observed by Bowlby. The action plan based on the Attachment Theory would primarily involve providing more stimulating parenting processes, which primarily include providing engaging activities such as reading, playing, and talking to the child instead of relying on screens to entertain the child. Mothers and fathers should endeavor to have particular attachment patterns that enhance bonding and frequent positive communications to foster a secure base, which can prevent behavioral problems associated with excess screen time.
Cognitive Development Theory
Cognitive Development Theory by Jean Piaget is centered on the stage theory of children's cognitive development. In this theory, Piaget looks at how children acquire knowledge and the stages they go through. In this range of stages, they go through the sensory-motor, preoperational, and formal operational. During the early childhood development stage, children are in the preoperational stage, which ranges from preoperational to 7, whereby they exhibit techniques in symbolic play and initial formal thinking. Still, they cannot be on the same level as smaller kids because they still lack the cognitive skills for higher forms of thinking, such as comprehending cause-and-effect relations (Kazi & Galanaki, 2020). Freewheeling schema and symbolic thinking, as well as exploratory play that aids in emotional and social development, are stressed in this stage, according to Piaget. Sedentary behavior can disrupt these crucial developmental tasks by decreasing time spent actively engaging with the physical environment, thinking creatively and freely, and interacting with peers. In the case study, the child shows behavioral signs like irritability and lack of concentration, which might be due to the absence of cognitive-motor interaction, which is crucial during this developmental stage. The child hardly gets to explore the world and engage with others; most of this time is spent watching television or playing video games. Piaget also warned that watching screens in this manner inhibits the development of other critical cognitive skills, including problem-solving abilities, attentiveness, and self-discipline. An action plan based on cognitive development theory would involve rescission sitting-related activities during learning and promoting activities requiring bodily movement. The plan would involve actions that will help in brain development; therefore, it would entail playing, painting, riddles, outdoor games, and interpersonal communications. This activity enhances thinking and innovative skills, allowing the child to solve a challenge in his environment. Moreover, the plan would include the notion that young children require an environment where they can rehearse how to behave appropriately, that is, interact with peers in daycare or play groups. This form of learning is very crucial to cognitive development. It can still help minimize some behavioral disorders resulting from screen disposition.
Social Learning Theory
Another theory that explains how children learn behaviors through observation and imitation is the Social Learning Theory developed by Albert Bandura. Bandura asserted that children imitate the observed behaviors of other individuals, especially the parent figure and other children (Rumjaun & Narod, 2020). This implies that children who witness their parents spend much time on the screen will emulate the same behavior. Additionally, the content they are exposed to on the screen can shift their behavior since children tend to emulate whatever they see in most circumstances, good or bad. Thus, excessive time on electronics could result in behavior issues due to a lack of emotional or cognitive involvement, and the child may mimic undesirable conduct from shows or video games. If the media consumed includes aggressive or disruptive materials, the child will exhibit such behaviors in the physical world. An action plan built on Social Learning Theory would include parents and caregivers acting in specific desirable ways concerning screen-related behavior, with students being informed of the acceptable uses of screens and the prohibited uses (Phillips, 2024). Moreover, the content that the child is exposed to would have to be well controlled to promote healthy and social/emotional development. Giving positive reinforcements that the child understands would help to shape their behavior positively, and limiting screen time would reinforce understanding on the part of the child.
Sites of Impact
Home
The home environment is, therefore, an essential context for intervention in the behavioral outcomes of excessive screen time. Being the most frequent environment a child revolves in, the home plays a central role in shaping the child's behavior, mood, and social interactions. The amount of screen time, the interaction between parents and the child, and the general organization of home time are among the top predictors of further aggravation or mitigation of behavioral problems in the child (O'Reilly & Mohan, 2023). For example, if parents use screens to occupy the child while they do their business without offering playful or constructive activities to keep the child engaged, this could perpetuate undesirable behavior such as crankiness and throwing tantrums. For example, a strategic intervention at home could be to limit the time the child spends in front of the screen, engaging them in more constructive activities such as playing outside or reading or providing positive role modeling in dealing with emotions. Hence, by working to change the home routine schedule to maximize the opportunities for compelling interactions and minimize time spent on the screens, the home environment can be used to assist in correcting behavior problems in the child.
Daycare
Another critical area of concern is the daycare setting since the child spends much of their time here. It is common for children to emulate what they find in childcare establishments. If screen time is frequently employed in childcare, this may contribute to the child's problematic behavior. For this reason, daycare providers should help offset the effects of screen time by adopting a child-centered approach that promotes play, peer interaction, and cognitive learning (DeWitt, 2024). In daycare, some changes could include limiting screen time and increasing more active forms of learning for the child to teach them how to manage their emotions, remain socially active, and develop their thinking skills without the adverse effects of excessive screen usage. Parents should monitor how much time their children spend on electronics while at daycare and work with staff to ensure uniformity in the approaches they adopt to address the problem.
Action Plan
The action plan for the concerns arising from the case study is a detailed, evidence-based strategy to minimize the impacts of screen time for a three-year-old child. Such a plan will consist of recommendations to decrease the amount of time spent on electronics, suggestions for using developmental stimulation in thought processes and emotions, and involvement of the parents and the daycare center in managing the child's behavior. The plan will focus on three main areas. Some conditions affecting the child include Home Environment, Daycare Setting, and Community Support.
Home Environment
Thus, making the home environment more balanced and exciting is at the core of the action plan. It has been established that excessive screen time at an early age has negative impacts on a child's cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. As for this, I will incorporate strict rules regarding the time children spend in front of screens in the home action plan. According to the guidelines provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics, children below five years of age should spend at most one hour on electronic devices. The action plan will effectively establish rigorous control measures like limiting the usage of screen devices to specific periods of the day, such as after meals or before changing to the next activity (bed) (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016). Apart from these periods, the parents will be required to avoid having their children engage in screen technologies and replace the same with better alternatives like playing outdoors, reading books, and doing puzzles and arts and crafts. These activities have been found to enable the regulation of personal emotions, social relationships, and intellectual abilities. Real-life activities, such as playing, exploration, problem-solving, and creativity, will quickly be incorporated to teach the child the fundamental skills, hence eliminating the adverse effects of too much screen time. Furthermore, the plan shall entail encouraging parents to become role models of the correct approach to using screens. Parents should also be mindful of what they expose their children to since children tend to emulate what they watch. Studies show that children can mimic the behaviors they see, including parents' screen habits. Parents will be urged to spend more time off-screen; for example, they will be advised to read books aloud, talk to each other, or play. Parental and caregiver engagement is critical in ensuring secure attachments are formed, therefore managing feelings and acting appropriately.
Daycare Setting
The daycare setting is also conducive to the child's development and can help implement the action plan. Daycare providers and parents will strive to set up a unified front on the approach adopted in screen time management. The kind of daycare the child attends should regulate the time the child fixates on screen devices, as it was established that early exposure to screen devices causes problems with attention and aggression. The strategy of the daycare plan is to embrace educational actions and physical exercise that would facilitate socialization, imaginative learning play, and physically active play in the form of group play, nature trips, and learning centers, respectively (Mills, 2023). Thus, following Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory, it is paramount to ensure that development activities promote exploration and active problem-solving, especially during the preoperational stage. This can be accomplished by offering children chances to play with blocks, dolls, or other forms of toys that are not electronic. Furthermore, caregivers will be taught how to monitor the child's behavior and be able to address temper tantrums or irritability by distracting the child and comforting them. This fosters emotional growth as one learns how to handle feelings of frustration and disappointment, among others, healthily.
Community Support
The contribution to the action plan is the idea of community support, which may be very helpful as it can provide additional assistance and suggestions to parents and caregivers. Parents can help themselves by joining parenting groups and going to multiple workshops that are focused on how to regulate the amount of screen time and support the healthy development of children. It is wrong to assume that parenting by parents and other professionals cannot be influenced and improved since research proves this is possible. The tools and knowledge for resolving the problems related to screen time and child behavior may be found in online forums with communities, local groups of parents, workshops with a pediatrician, or child development centers (Uchitel et al., 2020). Moreover, the community can assist the child in spending numerous hours in activities that may not involve screens, such as sports, music, and other nature-related activities. Such activities foster the child’s emotional and social development and create desirable habits and practices.
Conclusion
The strategies presented in this paper effectively guide the behavioral issues emerging from screen time among children aged 2 to 5 years. This plan aims to reduce the time the child spends on screen-related activities and increase the time he or she spends on active, interactive, constructive activities to enhance his or her emotional state and cognitive and social development. Therefore, the suggested plans at home, in daycare, and with the community's help are grounded in the contemporary understanding of children and their development. Through the clarification of the time the child spends in front of the screen, the improvement of parent-child communication, and the partnership between parents and daycare centers, positive behavior change can be observed to provide developmentally appropriate change. Since screen time is still a concern for many families and the lives of children in today’s world, this action plan must offer a clear and doable approach that parents and guardians can take to address screen time's ills and foster children's well-being. Such strategies indicate that there will always be an evaluation and alteration of the activities featured in this plan frequently to meet the child's changing needs.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Media and young minds: Council on communications and media. Pediatrics, 138(5), 1-6.
DeWitt, A. (2024). Centering Culture in Health: Developing Culturally Safe Technology for Early Childhood Health Promotion, A community-based approach to technology design for child development support (Doctoral dissertation, University of Washington).
Kalinowski, R. T. (2020). Techies, Learners, and Consumers: A Multi-Case Ethnography of 3-and 4-Year-Olds’ Digital Screen Use in Daily Life. University of California, Irvine.
Kazi, S., & Galanaki, E. (2020). Piagetian theory of cognitive development. The encyclopedia of child and adolescent development, 1-11.
Mills, S. A. (2023). Early Childhood Care: A Comparative Analysis of Preferred Practices.
O'Reilly, C., & Mohan, G. (2023). Parental influences on excessive Internet use among adolescents. Internet Research, 33(7), 86-110.
Phillips, E. J. (2024). A Transcendental Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Parents' Motivational Influence Behind Their Children's Screen Time Usage.
Rumjaun, A., & Narod, F. (2020). Social learning theory—albert bandura. Science education in theory and practice: An introductory guide to learning theory, 85-99.
Uchitel, J., Alden, E., Bhutta, Z. A., Cavallera, V., Lucas, J., Oberklaid, F., ... & Mikati, M. A. (2022). Role of pediatricians, pediatric associations, and academic departments in ensuring optimal early childhood development globally: position paper of the International Pediatric Association. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 43(8), e546-e558.
Whitty, K. A. (2022). A Sticky Fixation: Adherence to Attachment Theory in Early Childhood Infant Practices (Doctoral dissertation, University of Canberra).
