Info

…and it’s the grown-ups in their live’s job to change that.

Some fabulous reports and commentary are out regarding Common Sense Media’s research on media use by kids 0-8.   It’s called, “Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America A Common Sense Media Research Study October 25, 2011.”  (You “0″ kids probably come under a whole other discussion, but I digress).

Lisa Guensey, the Director of the Early Education Initiative at the New America Foundation writes wonderfully in The Huffington Post about the questions that arise from the report.

As you begin to decipher this yourself, see their main findings:

Key Finding 1: Young Children Use Digital Media Frequently

Key Finding 2: Substantial Digital Divide

Key Finding 3: Kids Under 2 Spend Most Time Watching TV

Key FInding 4: TV Dominates Young Child Media Time

Key Finding 5: Broadcast TV Most Accessible

Key Finding 6: Demographic Differences in Media Use

Key Finding 7: Media Multitasking

And here is the other report from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center earlier this year:“Always Connected: The new digital media habits of young children by Aviva Lucas Gutnick et al. March 2011

With our deep concern about the relationship between kids and media here at Salty Pretzels, no matter what transpires we seem to come up with the same conclusion:  we must find a way for caregivers to spend time with their kids. The more they do together, the better their lives will be. How can we promote this to the most underserved community, the lower income families? Who has time? How do we make time? We grown ups don’t have to teach our Little Ones all the  time. Just being with them and  engaging them in conversations about their world is the best possible support you can offer them. All our children need to have  intimate, loving communication

You can view the full Common Sense Media report HERE.

And thanks to a tweet from @360kid that first brought my attention to the report.