Does multitasking with media distract kids from homework?
Q: Every day, when my daughter comes home from school to start on her homework, she pops on the computer. She opens a streaming video window, a chat window, video chat, Facebook, iTunes, and then a Word window in which she starts working on her current writing project. The computer tends to stay on until she gets ready for bed. I think that is too much distraction when she should be focusing on school, but I also want her to develop the ability to regulate herself. Since she’s gotten mostly A’s in school, with only a few little blips, it’s hard for me to substantiate any bad effects this is having on her. Any suggestions? -Much Ado about Multitasking in Menlo Park, CA A: Dear Much Ado, According to this Washington Post article, you and your daughter are not the only ones facing this situation. In fact, one report showed that when kids are doing homework on the computer, they are also doing something else 65% of the time. Regardless of the fact that lots of kids are doing it, this kind
