>> AND THAT INCLUDES TWO LITTLE BOYS WE WATCHED GROW UP,
NATALIE’S TWO SONS.
GOOD MORNING, NAT.
>> THEY’RE BIG BOYS NOW.
JOSH AND LUKE.
OF COURSE, I’M A MOM WHO IS
GOING TO BRAG.
THEY’RE GREAT KIDS.
THEY’RE VERY INVOLVED IN THEIR
SPORTS AND AFTER-SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES.
ACTIVITIES. THEY BRING HOME GOOD GRADES.
BUT LIKE OTHER KIDS THEIR AGE,
THEY ARE LOGGING MANY MORE HOURS
THAN I WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE
PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.
FOR JOSH, WHO IS 14, IT’S ALL
ABOUT FORTNITE.
ABOUT FORTNITE. WHILE MY 10-YEAR-OLD, LUKE, IS
MORE OF A MADDEN GUY.
>>
>> I DON’T LET THEM PLAY MONDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY.
THROUGH THURSDAY. BUT IF THEY EARNED IT, FRIDAY
THROUGH SUNDAY, I LET THEM PLAY
A COUPLE OF HOURS.
>> Reporter: FROM SEPARATE ROOMS
IN THE SAME HOUSE, TO A FAMILY
TRIP THIS SUMMER.
LAST DAY OF VACATION.
AND WE’RE ON OUR DEVICES.
IT SEEMS LIKE THEY JUST CAN’T
GET ENOUGH.
GET ENOUGH. AS A PARENT, I’M, OF COURSE,
VERY CONCERNED.
VERY CONCERNED. SOMETIMES I SEE THEM PLAYING TOO
MUCH.
MUCH. AND I FEEL LIKE THEY’RE NOT
PRESENT.
PRESENT. AND THEY’RE NOT PARTICIPATING OR
LISTENING TO ME.
I DECIDED TO GO TO THE SOURCES
IN MY OWN HOME TO DISCUSS MY
CONCERNS.
CONCERNS. ALL RIGHT, GUYS.
THIS IS AN INTERVENTION, OKAY?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
I THINK YOU PLAY TOO MANY VIDEO
GAMES.
GAMES. DO YOU THINK YOU PLAY TOO MANY
VIDEO GAMES?
VIDEO GAMES? JOSH?
JOSH? >> NO.
>> NO. HARDLY.
HARDLY. >> NO.
>> NO. >> WHEN YOU PLAY VIDEO GAMES,
WHAT ARE YOU GETTING OUT OF
THAT?
THAT? >> I’M SOCIALIZING FRIENDS THAT
LIVE FAR AWAY, WHICH IS NICE.
AND SOME FRIENDS THAT ALSO LIVE
NEARBY BUT MAYBE I WON’T BE ABLE
TO GET TO ON THE WEEKENDS.
>> DO YOU FEEL, THOUGH, THAT
SOMETIMES YOU’RE A LITTLE OUT OF
TOUCH WITH WHAT’S GOING ON IN
THE REAL WORLD?
>> NO.
>> NO. >> IF YOU’RE SO INTO YOUR VIDEO
GAMES?
GAMES? >> I MEAN, YOU DO HAVE
HEADPHONES ON.
HEADPHONES ON. >> Reporter: MY KIDS TUNING ME
OUT IS THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES.
RESEARCHERS SHOW SCREEN TIME
ACTS LIKE A STIMULANT, RAISING
STRESS HORMONES.
STRESS HORMONES. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS, COLORS AND
PACE, CAN OVERLOAD THEIR SYSTEM,
DEPLETING RESERVES.
DEPLETING RESERVES. THE END RAULTESULT OF ALL OF THI
IS, IS A CHILD IN STRESS,
MEANING CREATIVITY, PASSION, AND
IMPULSE CONTROL CAN BECOME
DAMAGED OVERTIME.
DAMAGED OVERTIME. DAMAGE BY SCREEN TIME LOOKS
SIMILAR TO DAMAGE CAUSED BY DRUG
AND ALCOHOL USE.
THIS IS AN EXPERT ON BRAIN
FUNCTION AT UCLA.
DR. SMALL, HOW MUCH VIDEO GAME
PLAYING IS TOO MUCH VIDEO GAME
PLAYING?
PLAYING? >> EACH KID IS DIFFERENT.
SOME KIDS ARE MUCH MORE
SENSITIVE TO THE TECHNOLOGY THAN
OTHERS.
OTHERS. ONE WAY TO GAUGE IT IS TO GET A
SENSE OF HOW YOUR CHILD BEHAVES
BEFORE AND AFTER THEIR
INVOLVEMENT WITH THE GAMES.
>> HOW ARE VIDEO GAMES AFFECTING
MY SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.
>> SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TAKES
TIME.
TIME. IF YOU’RE ALWAYS RELATING TO
PEOPLE ONLINE, YOU’RE NOT HAVING
THE CHANCE TO ALLOW YOUR BRAIN
TO DEVELOP, TO LEARN THOSE
SOCIAL SKILLS, WHICH ARE
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THERE’S BEEN STUDYING SHOWING IF
YOU PLAY A VIOLENT VIDEO GAME,
IT TAKES YOU LONGER TO RECOGNIZE
THAT SOMEONE IS HAPPY OR SAD.
>> HE SAYS ALL IS NOT LOST.
ONE STUDY SHOWS WHEN A GROUP OF
KIDS SPENT JUST FIVE DAYS IN
NATURE, AWAY FROM TECHNOLOGY,
THEIR EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL
INTELLIGENCE WENT UP.
I THINK THERE’S SOMETHING FOR
ALL OF US TO LEARN FROM THIS.
WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT
MORE.
MORE. APPRECIATE WHERE WE ARE.
LOOK UP AND PUT THE TECHNOLOGY
DOWN.
DOWN. >> NICE TO SEE YOU PLAYING A
LITTLE FOOTBALL WITH THE KIDS.
THE DOCTOR GAVE YOU SOME
TAKEAWAYS.
TAKEAWAYS. WHAT DO YOU THINK PARENTS SHOULD
KNOW?
KNOW? >> THAT’S RIGHT.
OF COURSE, SOMETHING I DO IN MY
HOUSE.
HOUSE. SET TIME LIMITS FOR VIDEO GAME
PLAYING.
PLAYING. I NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT
THAT.
THAT. ALSO, GET THEM INTO ACTIVITIES
OFFLINE.
OFFLINE. GET THEM INTERESTED IN SPORLTSTS
AND OTHER THINGS THEY MIGHT BE
TO.
TO. AND UNDER AGE OF 2, AVOID ALL
DIGITAL MEDIA ALTOGETHER.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> YOU HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. >> WE DO, NAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> BEFORE YOU HAVE -- FOR US,
BEFORE WE HAD CHILDREN, WE
PLEDGED WE WOULD NEVER BE THOSE
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT PARENTS.
PARENTS. ALL OF A SUDDEN --
>> YOU WANT TO HAVE A MEAL.
>> JUST GET A LITTLE BREAK.
>> I LIKE NATALIE’S SUGGESTION,
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
>> IT WASN’T THAT MUCH DIFFERENT
WHEN WE WERE KIDS.
IT WAS TV.
HOW MUCH TV WERE YOU WATCHING.