Parents, time to power down kids

Parents of digital natives don’t have it easy. As immigrants in the tech-savvy world their children so effortlessly navigate, it’s no surprise that some adults feel hapless and give up even trying to deter kids from living online.

Now comes an important reminder to keep up the good fight. The American Academy of Pediatrics, alarmed that U.S. kids spend an average of seven hours a day using various media as entertainment, urges parents to establish "screen free" zones that keep televisions, computers, video games and smart phones out of children’s bedrooms.

Older kids shouldn’t use entertainment media more than two hours a day, and toddlers under age 2 shouldn’t be exposed to it at all, the AAP advises.

Excessive media use is linked to trouble in school, sleep disorders and obesity, among other ills. For some families, cold turkey might be the way to go.

A good sign for free-speech rights

Score one for the First Amendment.

The American Civil Liberties Union has prevailed in its legal battle to protect the rights of demonstrators in Maui County. The group dropped its lawsuit after the county agreed to amend an ordinance limiting sign-waving in certain places.

Details on changes have yet to emerge since the issue must go before Maui’s County Council.

For now, a peace activist who was a plaintiff in the lawsuit hailed the settlement as a victory for the fundamental American right of free speech. We heartily agree.