It’s no secret that children today face a very different world than those of past generations. My generation and other previous generations spent their childhoods outdoors, riding bikes, climbing trees, and playing games with friends. Today’s kids are largely sedentary, glued to screens, and increasingly struggling with obesity and mental health issues. The contrast between then and now is striking, and it’s hard not to wonder—have we failed our children by allowing technology to dominate their lives at the expense of their health?

A Childhood of Movement vs. A Childhood of Screens

Decades ago, childhood was synonymous with movement. Kids were always outside—running, jumping, and playing from morning until night. That is the memory that I certainly have with my four older brothers and a neighborhood filled with children our age. We had no choice but to be active. Schools emphasized physical education (remember the Presidential Physical Fitness Test?), and after school, most kids could be found playing with friends in the neighborhood, riding bikes, playing tag, or tossing a ball back and forth. The idea of staying inside all day was almost unheard of unless there was bad weather.

Fast forward to today, and the contrast is glaring. Instead of engaging in unstructured outdoor play, most kids spend their free time on screens. Whether it’s television, social media, YouTube, or video games, the vast majority of children’s leisure time is now digital. According to research from the American Academy of Pediatrics, children spend an average of 7.5 hours per day on entertainment media, including television, computers, phones, and tablets. That’s nearly an entire workday spent in front of a screen! My generation had TVs in their living rooms but the programming was restricted to four channels; ABC, NBC, CBS and PBS that no one watched. And if you are the youngest you remember being the "remote". No handheld devices back then.

This lack of movement has consequences. According to the CDC, childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. Today, 1 in 5 children in the U.S. is obese, and many more are overweight. The reason is simple—calories are being consumed, but they aren’t being burned. Unlike the children of the past who were constantly active, today’s kids are leading shockingly sedentary lives.

The Mental Health Crisis: Are Screens to Blame?

The rise of technology hasn’t just affected children’s physical health—it’s had a devastating impact on their mental well-being as well. Depression, anxiety, and suicide rates among children and teens have skyrocketed in the past two decades. Experts are increasingly pointing to excessive screen time, social media, and the loss of real-world social interactions as major contributors.

In previous generations, children built resilience by facing challenges in the real world. They dealt with conflict on the playground, navigated friendships in person, and learned how to cope with boredom by using their imagination. Today, children are constantly stimulated by screens, leaving little time for creative thinking or problem-solving. Instead of learning to manage their emotions and deal with adversity, many children are turning to social media for validation, which has been shown to increase feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.

Studies have found a strong link between social media use and increased rates of depression among young people. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok create unrealistic comparisons, where children see the carefully curated lives of influencers and feel like they don’t measure up. Cyberbullying has also become a major issue, with many kids facing harassment online that follows them everywhere, unlike the playground bullies of the past who could at least be avoided after school.

Declining Academic Performance

Don't get me started on how cell phones in the classrooms have negatively affected our kids ability to learn. Cell phones in the classroom have significantly disrupted students’ ability to focus and absorb information, leading to declining academic performance and engagement. Instead of paying attention to lessons, many students are distracted by social media, texting, or gaming, making it harder for them to retain what is being taught. Studies have shown that even the mere presence of a phone—whether used or not—reduces cognitive capacity and weakens students’ ability to concentrate.

Additionally, excessive phone use has contributed to shorter attention spans, making it more difficult for students to engage in deep, focused learning. Teachers often struggle to maintain classroom discipline, as phones create a constant temptation that undermines participation and critical thinking. The result is a generation of students who are less engaged, more easily distracted, and ill-equipped for the demands of higher education and the workforce.

Parenting Has Changed, Too

Another major shift between past and present is parenting styles. In previous generations, parents allowed their children a great deal of freedom. Kids were encouraged to play outside and explore their surroundings with minimal supervision. This independence helped build confidence and self-sufficiency.

Today’s parents, however, tend to be much more protective. Fear of crime, accidents, and even lawsuits has led many parents to keep their kids indoors and under constant supervision. While well-intended, this “bubble-wrapped” approach to childhood has stripped kids of opportunities to develop independence and resilience. I know when I became a parent in 1991, the news of the abduction and disappearance of Jacob Wetterling in 1989 certainly factored in how I parented. Of course that just meant I was more involved organizing and actively playing with my son and his friends outside.

Moreover, many parents themselves are now addicted to their screens. With adults glued to their phones and tablets, children are growing up in environments where face-to-face interaction is declining. Parents used to be role models for physical activity—whether through playing sports with their kids or simply encouraging outdoor play. Now, many parents are just as sedentary as their children, leading to a cycle of inactivity that is difficult to break.

The Role of Diet in Today’s Health Crisis

In addition to decreased physical activity, diet plays a massive role in the health struggles of today’s children. In the past, home-cooked meals were the norm. Families sat down together for dinner, and kids ate real food—meats, vegetables, and homemade dishes rather than processed junk. That time at the dinner table was an important part of the "glue" that kept families connected and taught necessary social skills.

Today, fast food and processed snacks dominate children’s diets. Sugary drinks, chips, frozen meals, and highly processed foods have replaced home-cooked meals in many households. The combination of poor diet and lack of physical activity has created the perfect storm for childhood obesity and metabolic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, which is now being diagnosed in children at alarming rates.

How Do We Fix This?

The good news is that this problem is not irreversible. While we can’t turn back time, we can make deliberate choices to help our children reclaim their health and well-being. Here are some critical steps that need to be taken:

1. Encourage Outdoor Play – Parents need to prioritize unstructured outdoor play for their children. This means setting limits on screen time and encouraging activities like biking, hiking, and sports. Schools should also increase recess and physical education rather than cutting them to make room for more screen-based learning.

2. Set Screen Time Limits – Technology isn’t going anywhere, but parents can set healthy boundaries. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 have no screen time, while older children should be limited to one to two hours per day of recreational screen use. Parents should also lead by example by putting down their own phones and engaging in real-world activities with their kids.

3. Promote Healthy Eating – It’s time to bring back home-cooked meals and real food. Parents should prioritize whole, unprocessed foods and avoid the constant reliance on fast food. Schools should also take responsibility by providing healthier meal options instead of processed lunches high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

4. Encourage Real-Life Socialization – Kids need face-to-face interaction, not just digital friendships. Parents should encourage playdates, group activities, and family time that doesn’t revolve around screens. Joining sports teams, youth groups, or other extracurricular activities can also help children develop social skills and confidence.

5. Teach Resilience and Coping Skills – Instead of shielding kids from every difficulty, parents should teach them how to handle challenges. This means allowing kids to experience failure, disappointment, and boredom—without immediately resorting to a screen to distract them.

Final Thoughts

Today’s children are facing a health crisis that past generations never had to worry about. The combination of sedentary lifestyles, screen addiction, poor diets, and increased mental health struggles has created an alarming situation that needs to be addressed. While technology has brought many benefits, we must find a balance that allows children to enjoy its advantages without sacrificing their physical and mental well-being.

It’s time to take a step back and reevaluate how we are raising our children. They deserve a childhood filled with movement, exploration, real-world friendships, and the opportunity to develop into strong, healthy, and resilient individuals. The solution isn’t complicated—it just requires a return to the basic principles of an active, engaged, and balanced childhood.