From Our Sponsor: Phipps Helps Families Make the Most of Screen Time

In today’s world, screens are within reach of your eyes, ears and fingertips. While screens play important roles in our work, school and home environments, too much screen time can be bad for the health of children and adults.

Let’s Move Pittsburgh, a program of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, is offering the 5-2-1-0 Speaker Series to help parents, caregivers and community partners interface with children’s health experts on topics like screen time. 5-2-1-0 is a movement to reinforce four healthy lifestyle choices: 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of recreational screen time, 1 hour or more of physical activity, and 0 sugary drinks and more water — every day!

Participation in the series is free and open to the public. The fourth installment of the popular series, called “Screen Time: The Good and The Bad,” takes place on Thurs., May 11 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. This fun, interactive session will explain that not all screens are created equal and will highlight strategies for setting and meeting screen time limits.

Leading the presentations for the May installment are a panel of experts from WQED Multimedia and a local pediatrician of UPMC. “For this session, we want our participants to understand the medical case for limiting screen time” says Mary Kathryn Poole, program director of Let’s Move Pittsburgh. “However, recognizing that screen time is a part of our reality, we will turn to WQED experts for recommendations on how to ensure that screen time is of the highest quality for children.”

Dr. Deborah Moss of UPMC and the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will share the AAP’s latest screen time recommendations. “Few would argue with these recommendations, but putting them into practice is increasingly challenging,” says Moss. “That’s where 5-2-1-0 Let’s Move Pittsburgh has ‘stepped in.’ Bringing together experts in child health and educational programming, this session hopes to discuss the challenges and offer tips for how to limit and maximize screen time experience for you and your family.”

Deborah Acklin, Cathy Cook and Gina Masciola of WQED will speak about using the “three Cs” – content, context and child – when caregivers are making screen time decisions for children and creating educational programs for WQED’s network.

Before and after the presentations, participants also will have the chance to speak with Let’s Move Pittsburgh Champion Schools, which have been awarded grants for implementing healthy school programs, and UPMC Health Plan health coaches. These networking opportunities will provide caregivers and community partners with new connections and resources for promoting healthy lifestyles.

Interested in attending but need childcare? A free health education session is available for young children ages 2 – 8 while you attend the Speaker Series. For both the speaker series session and childcare, advance registration is required and space is limited. Click here to register today.

Let’s Move Pittsburgh’s 5-2-1-0 Speaker Series is made possible with support from UPMC Health Plan, the Hillman Foundation and The Heinz Endowments.