In the U.S., grandparents have taken on an expanded role as caregivers for children. And new research from the University of Arizona has found that when grandma and grandpa are in charge, the kids spend almost half of that time staring at screens.
Researchers surveyed 350 grandparents who supervise children between the ages of 2 and 10. They asked how much time the kids spent watching TV, playing video games or using the internet under their care.
The collective answer: 49%.
UA’s Cecilia Sada Garibay is the study’s lead author.
“So I think here it's important to consider that media is both a source of opportunity and a source of risk for children in general," she said.
She said the grandparents employed widely different supervision strategies, with some restricting access altogether, others monitoring the content and some actively viewing the material alongside the children.
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