Em Skublics introduced Friday night family movies when their daughter turned two.
asserted
daughter → introduce → movies
It’s really half-movie night because, even if Mary Poppins is singing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” the TV is turned off after one hour.
asserted
TV → ’ → hour
The rest of the time, she gets no screen time.
asserted
she → get → time
No TV while mom is cleaning up.
asserted
mom → clean → ?
“When I describe this, most parents are shocked,” Skublics said.
asserted
Skublics → describe → this
“They say, ‘Wow — this is parenting in hard mode’ or ‘you’re really choosing to make this difficult.’
asserted
this → say → mode
But I see it more like a tradeoff that will pay off in her development.”
asserted
that → see → development
Despite increasing awareness of the detrimental impacts of screens on young children, the Toronto family is an outlier.
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family → increase → children
New research released Tuesday shows that more than half of Canadian infants, toddlers and preschoolers spend more time on screens than health guidelines recommend.
asserted
guidelines → release → screens
The national guidelines call for zero screen time under age two, and no more than an hour a day, on average, for kids two to four.
asserted
guidelines → call → kids
How the youngest are faring
50%
of infants met recommendation of zero screen time.
asserted
% → fare → time
42%
of toddlers met recommendation of zero screen time for children under 2 or no more than 1 hour/day, on average, for children aged 2 years.
asserted
% → meet → children
52%
of preschoolers met recommendation of no more than 1 hour/day of screen time, on average.
73%
of infants met recommendation of at least 30 minutes/day of tummy time, on average
asserted
% → meet → time
.
53%
of toddlers met recommendation of at least 180 minutes/day of physical activity at any intensity, on average.
76%
of preschoolers met recommendation of at least 180 minutes/day of physical activity, of which at least 60 minutes/day was moderate-to-vigorous, on average.
asserted
minutes → meet → which
The report, from ParticipAction — a national non-profit that conducts research and promotes health and active living — also found that only one in four children under five meet the 24-hour movement guidelines, which cover physical activity, sleep and screen time combined.
asserted
which → conduct → activity
That 25 per cent is actually the best Canada manages at any age: the organization’s previous report cards show that as kids grow older, they miss age-specific guidelines on physical activity, screens and sleep in even greater numbers.
asserted
they → manage → numbers
This 2026 report card is the first time Canada has done this kind of reporting on infants, toddlers and preschoolers — and it is leading the way on this research globally, said Leigh Vanderloo, ParticipAction’s scientific director.
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Vanderloo → do → research
She hopes this first look at what’s happening in the early years shows parents and policymakers alike that efforts to boost sport and recreation for children and increase protections from online harms and devices need to start earlier.
asserted
efforts → hop → harms
Historically, the youngest children have received less research attention and public funding than school-aged children, but this age group is also the most malleable when it comes to instilling healthy habits that, hopefully, last a lifetime, she said.
asserted
she → receive → lifetime
“It’s alarming to see just how many kids straight from birth are already on screens.
asserted
kids → ’ → screens
And given that the screen data is based on parental surveys, it likely underestimates how much screen time kids are actually getting because there’s a social bias to “overestimate how active we are and underestimate how engaged in screens we are,” Vanderloo said.
asserted
Vanderloo → give → screens
Still, it’s the best data available and will serve as a benchmark to track progress over time, she said.
asserted
she → ’ → time
“We see that very few kids are actually getting the right amount of movement, sleep, play and non-screen-based recreation time for optimal development.”
asserted
kids → see → development
The report cites research showing active play aids brain and body development, while screen time can hinder focus, memory and learning in young children.
asserted
time → cite → children
Skublics read a lot about the detrimental effects of screens on children, especially infants and toddlers, before committing to such strict limits on screens.
asserted
Skublics → read → screens
Skublics knows allowing more screen time could make daily life just a little easier, but sees the impact a screen has on their daughter.
uncertain
screen → know → daughter
“She’s kind of like a zombie,” Skublics said.
asserted
Skublics → ’ → zombie
“It’s a little jarring to watch as a parent, because I have a very engaged, very talkative, interactive daughter.
asserted
I → ’ → daughter
And as soon as the TV is on, it’s like nothing else exists.
asserted
nothing → ’ → ?
She just sits there with her eyes glued to the screen, like she’s being hypnotized.
asserted
she → sit → screen
You can’t talk to her.
asserted
You → talk → her
You won’t get a question out of her.
asserted
You → get → her
You won’t get an answer out of her.
asserted
You → get → her
Still, Skublics, who works outside the home as a marketing manager, already sees the cracks forming.
asserted
cracks → work → manager
“She’s started to gain more awareness around us using our phones.
asserted
She → start → phones
If I take a picture of her now, she’ll ask to see it … so there’s little gateway moments where she sees a screen for like 30 seconds.
asserted
she → take → seconds
I do wonder, as that continues, if it’s going to be harder to keep saying no.”
And harder still when she starts having playdates with friends.
“
asserted
she → wonder → friends
As she starts to understand what’s normal in other households, I’m probably going to get a lot more pushback.”
asserted
I → start → pushback
The family rules do break down every month or two when it’s time for a haircut.
asserted
it → break → haircut
Skublics’s daughter hates it and tends to thrash around while the scissors are near her eyes, so she gets a “Bluey” episode on Mom’s phone.
asserted
she → hat → phone
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
