According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “On average, children ages 8-12 in the United States spend four to six hours a day watching or using screens, and teens spend up to nine hours.”
What does that mean for our kids? Too much screen time can lead to problems sleeping, poor academic performance, body image issues, and little outdoor or physical activity. Without parental supervision, our kids may find themselves on the “wrong side” of the internet, encountering content that is not appropriate for their age. This type of content could include misleading information, violence, substance use, cyberbullying, risk-taking behaviors, and more.
As parents, how can we limit the amount of time our children spend online and supervise them appropriately when they are online? As our children grow, a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Instead, we have to structure their daily routines to reduce screen time naturally.
Create Screen-Free Zones
Screen-free zones are areas in your home where all electronic devices are not allowed, including for the parents. This can include mealtime, family time, and during family outings. Some screen-free zones can help negate the negative impacts of screen time, like removing all electronic devices from the bedroom 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
Take Advantage of Parental Controls
Use technology to fight overuse of technology. Streaming services, like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, have built-in parental controls. Learn how to use these controls to limit the amount of inappropriate entertainment your child will encounter. When your child comes across a blocked TV show, they’ll have to ask you for permission before being able to watch the show.
Educate Your Children on Cyber Safety
Discuss stranger danger with your children and educate them on the ways that it applies to social media apps, like Instagram and Snapchat. Remind them to never share personal information online, like their birth date, home address, and current location. Remind your child that anything they post online never goes away, not even with apps that claim to make messages disappear– like Snapchat.
Healthy Screen Time for Kids: Practical To-Do List for Parents
Ages 8 - 12
Consider waiting to get your child a Smartphone until they’re older
Ask yourself, is there a practical reason your child needs a smartphone right now, like calling you to tell you they’re done with soccer practice and need to be picked up? Or do they just want a phone to keep up with their friends?
Educate your child on cyber safety
Stick to age-appropriate education. Discuss not accepting friend requests from strangers and how to identify fake accounts.
Depending on your child’s maturity level, set parental controls to prevent access to PG-13 movies and other mature content. If your child plays video games, make sure they stick to age-appropriate games.
Control what your child sees and posts
Tell your child to never reveal their age, location, phone number, or birth date. Make sure they understand that cybercriminals can use this information to steal their identity and commit crimes.
Set aside time each week for family time
Establish a weekly screen-free family hour to strengthen bonds and create lasting memories through shared activities. Start building this meaningful habit now so that it becomes routine when your child is older.
Ages 13 - 16
Discuss cyber safety with your teenager
Specifically address issues like online predators and reinforce the idea that anything they post online will be there forever. Encourage them to ask themselves, ‘Would I want my future boss seeing this?’
Cut off access to apps after a certain time of night
If your teen is struggling to put down their phone, use an app, like Bark or Flipd, to automatically cut off access to certain apps after a set amount of time has passed.
Encourage family time by enforcing screen-free zones
Teens can seem glued to their phones. Be strict about screen-free zones in the house, such as no phones at mealtime or during family time.
Comments