It would be a full-time job to keep up with the reports and studies about “kids these days.”  And although that might be fascinating, the screen-time would be devastating.  So instead, here’s a quick summary of some recent good stuff.

• The first mother tackles obesity

Michelle Obama has assumed the role of poster-mom to fight childhood obesity (largely due to too much screen time and not enough green time), and announces a website all about it. 

• Frontline digs deep into digitalia

Frontline’s “Digital Nation” discusses the good, the bad, and the ugly details of the tech revolution—including experts who suggest that today’s obsession with screen living will someday be compared to smoking, which was viewed as healthy and fun not many years ago. 

• Screen time goes through the roof

A recent Kaiser Family Report shows that kids now average 7.5 hours a day, with half of that time on more than one medium (TV + cell phone).  That’s more time than they spend in school, more time than their parents spend at work, and 12 times the minutes they spend reading.  Are there effects?  Hell, yes.  More screen time brings lower grades, more trouble, and sadness. 

Are we having fun yet?