As a retired teacher and grandparent with 2 grandchildren, an iphone, kindle, email, and loving internet access...I don't understand parents giving their children all the electronics and then complaining that their children can't put it all down. Children see their parents facebooking, tweeting, texting meaningless juvenile garbage instead of having real relationships with real people. Where is it going? Children are what they see. Set guidelines, provide real life experiences, encourage, and electronics will fit into a schedule. They do not need to let electronics take total control because it is easier than parenting.

Technology was initially developed to increase our leisure time, but it seems the exact opposite has happened. The more technology we have the more we depend on it and feel we have to use it.

I think parents need to be ever vigilant with their children's use of technology. I think most if not all of the technology should be located outside children's bedrooms. How many kids do you know that have TVs, DVD players, video game consoles, stereos, computers, etc. all located in their bedrooms? It's no wonder kids are inundated with techie stuff!

I don't see how this is possible - my son get's home from school at 4 p.m. Even if he went straight to the electronic media and didn't stop for dinner, going to the bathroom, or any other activity, that would have him on until 11:30 at night. Doesn't happen and the study seems flawed. I'll give you 3-4 hours max. Weekends might alter that "average" an hour or two, but that's when parenting comes in.

We have a senior in high school and we caught her texting in class which is against school rules and our rules. So we emailed all her teachers (and cc'd her school counselor), told them what she was doing and canceled texting. Needless to say she was very upset! And her grades have come back up to her A's and B's. Several of her teachers emailed to thank us. We have no intention to re-activate the texting. Another plus is she wants to be more active in the family.

Pam,

I hope many more parents follow your advice before this generation winds up being lost.

I hope this is a movement that infiltrates America sooner than later. I'm not against technology but I have my limit on how many devices I want my son to have, and I do not make it a priority when it comes to connecting, and engaging in healthy family time that seems to be lost in our society.

Our children obesity/diabetes rate is at it's highest. We know that children are bombarded with technology, and exposing them to healthy content and in moderation is imperative to their little minds. But it seems like most parents don't even do that. Wake up parents! Our children today are rude, sassy, spoiled and act as if they are running the place-which most of them probably are in most house holds. If they are granted multiple electronics why shouldn't they expect to get what they request next month? I always told myself that when I had a family I would not allow the environment to be controlled by technology. When my 11 year old son isn't in sports he has 30 minutes total of media time (i.e, Wii, TV, Ipod games) a day, and 4 hours on the weekend. What is he doing the rest of the time? He is playing (connecting) with his friends and parents outdoors, playing board games, he learns to entertain himself-without technology-strengthening his creative/mechanical skills, listens to books on tape, the list goes on. He has manners, he respects his elders, he knows how to engage in conversations. While most of his friends sadly do not. He has PARENTS. If you're going to give your children electronic devices, curtail their exposure so the majority of the time your children spends awake, is with family, not with an electronic device. Engaging in healthy, fun activities with your children will give you all a rejuvenating feeling and will essentially remind you of the good ol' days.

What is irritating about this study is that, first off the amount of online homework that is given out to these children elementary level. I have two children ages now, 21 and 23. Six years ago, the school was flabbergasted that I didn't have a computer in my home. They required it I was told. How were they supposed to do homework I was asked. With paper and a pencil and the brain and common sense God gave them I responded.

Children grade level ages K-9, shouldn't even have cell phones, and their internet use should be only given out for school work research. But wait, wasn't that what books were written for? Has that even become obsolete? This is why our children cannot read or write, and why we are bringing up children that feel entitled. Give it a rest PLEASE, we are raising an idiot society. Young people cannot even make simple change in a store unless the computer screen tells them how.

When my kids are engaged in after school activities, no matter how many or how busy they get, their grades go up. When school vacation comes and they are on their DS all the time, they are aggitated and disconnected but its all they want to do. My kids totally understand this but they still want the gadgets. Its clear people surf the web and play online games to statisfy something missing in their lives....what would you rather see on a resume: "Active in community sports and activities" or "Got high score in Tetris and can text 50 words a minute" Lets help our kids make better choices. You dont give your kids potato chips and soda for dinner because its what they want, do you?

I have a junior in high school who only has texting privleges with good grades. The grades go down and the texting goes away along with the phone/ipod. This has always been the rule so she clearly keeps her grades up. She has most of the current electronic devices and they all depend on her school grades and activities.