Screen Time and Curiosity

I remember how annoying my kids from two- to five-years old were. Once they learned the word why?, it seemed like it was the only word they knew. However, their desire was to know and learn about life and the world around them – they were curious about everything! It is part of being human – being made in the Image of God. Only God’s Image Bearers ask why? – no other created living thing on earth asks why?! Asking why? helps them make sense of their being. The parent, grandparent, or teacher should foster questions and help generate answers by becoming a mediator between what the child observes and his understanding of it. The why? is a mark of being curious and the child needs caring individuals, NOT an electronic device, to foster his curiosity. Curiosity is the strong desire to know and to learn. Without curiosity, individuals look at their world with apathy and boredom rather than desiring to interact with the beauty in a created world and to relate to God’s Image Bearers. 

A study published by the journal Neuron shows that curiosity also improves learning and memory. The study found that curiosity releases dopamine, a chemical associated with motivation that is more powerful than any A+ could be at the end of the day. Since God created us to be curious, it is only natural that He created an internal mechanism to help us be a curious Image Bearer.

The figure below was published in a controlled study published by Twenge and Campbell in December, 2018 journal, Preventative Medicine Reports. It portrays the percent of children by age and level of screen time who were not curious or interested in learning new things The graph depicts the findings that the higher the level of electronic device use, the less curious the child is. One can see that as the level of screen time goes up, the desire to know and learn goes down.

My explanation for these results bear the idea that: With eyes on electronics, the child doesn’t notice the flowers that are in bloom and ask why they are so beautiful. He doesn’t notice that a usually happy sibling is crying and ask why? and learn how to comfort them. Noticing, wanting to know more about, and understanding God’s creation is the mark of an intelligent human being and can and should be fostered by parents who encourage an attitude of curiosity in their children.

However, when using electronics, things move so quickly that the child does not have time to think how or why something happens and ask question. It is put into the short term memory; since the mind holds about seven (plus or minus 2) items for around 30 seconds without any rehearsal or reviewing, the data is coming in too fast to rehearse or review it. The device cannot ask questions because it does not help the child stop to mediate learning –that is, pay attention to what is important, ask questions about it, respond to misconceptions, and check to see if what is stored in the brain. Electronics cannot keep a child from developing faulty assumption or acquire moral character. With electronics, the brain learns to respond – not to think – not to ask why? or what?.

To think is to be curious and seek answers. Thinking is having ideas and resolving issues in the mind.  Curiosity caused Moses to approach the burning bush, Einstein to come up with the theory of relativity, and NASA to solve problems of man venturing into space.

An electronic device will not give individuals the desire to seek Truth by asking questions like why?. When Christians are curious, they grow in knowledge and their ability to rightly discern situations (Hebrews 5:12-14).

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing…. Never lose a holy curiosity.”

Albert Einstein

A holy curiosity deepens our faith. Curious Christians display the qualities of hope expressed in their eagerness to learn and obey God and see Him work in their lives and in the world. The human mediator is the key to a healthy curious mind and produces an environment where Christian children can grow in knowledge and ability to rightly discuss situations, to solve problems, to rightly discern right from wrong. An electronic screen cannot give a child an inquiring mind that seeks after answers that are truth by mediating with questions and helping them think through the answers. An electronic screen cannot train the heart of a child and draw him into a closer relationship with Christ.

Riley Balikian’s Reflections on Curiosity and Wisdom writes:

Indeed, curiosity is simply a response to God’s creative movements. Curiosity does not spring from the heart of man, but from the active Spirit of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” says Proverbs 1:7. From God all things proceed, including our curiosity. However, as the proverb implies, if it is not carried out for and by the Spirit of the One who created curiosity, it represents a distortion of the intelligence God has given us. This is why the call to wisdom is necessary. Curiosity breeds a myriad of questions, but wisdom leads us to the prudent ones. Curiosity seeks and explores answers; wisdom is contented by them. Curiosity runs down the path of inquiry with imagination and joy, but wisdom directs it into a proper orientation.

How do you mediate your children’s learning to nurture a holy curiosity in them? There are several steps you as your child’s human mediator, can take to help foster a sense of curiosity in your child.

1. Limit screen time use. Do not use screen-time as a babysitter. For older children, give them one hour of screen time for every two hours that they read.
2. Learn to ask lots of questions. Using Aristotle’s 10 questions is a great way to start. Inquiry helps your child become a good observer. Do this while reading, looking at pictures, taking a walk. Ask lots of questions throughout the day.
3. Do not let your own phobias or fears interfere with your child’s curiosity. Things you might say that stifle curiosity are; “Oh, that’s gross; don’t touch it” or “Insects will bite you” (get your facts straight) or “That rock is dirty, don’t you dare bring it in the house.”
4. Read books to your child. Stop to ask questions about the details and to predict what he thinks will happen next. Guide him to the answers through inquiry.
5. Picture in your mind. When reading chapter books, ask your child to tell you what he pictures in his mind after you have read a descriptive or action scene.
6. Ask detailed questions about snapshots. Snap shots can be a painting, a picture in a book, or a frame you make with your hands when outdoors. Asking questions about the details help your child notice details he otherwise may not have noticed. Looking for details is a feature of curiosity.
7. Discuss the world around you. To help develop curiosity, stop and observe, question, and talk about things that are around you.
8. Encourage your child to ask questions. Guide your children to think about, come up with answers, and investigate the answers. Do a mini-investigation together to come up with an answer. 

Is your child apathetic or bored? If he answers the question, “What did you learn in school today?” with “I don’t know” or “Nothing”, he IS apathetic and bored and chances are, he didn’t learn anything. Curious people find themselves living with energy and hope; they are eager to learn and obey God and see Him work in their daily lives and in the world. Such curiosity is our loving desire for our children. I hope you, your child’s mediator, take these thoughts to heart.