How much time kids spend looking at screens is a huge source of arguments in families, and often the discussion gets boiled down to strict rules or scary news stories. But pediatricians and psychologists who study child development generally say it’s about the situation. What kind of show or game it is, how old the child is, when they’re using it, and what they’d be doing instead of being on the screen are all important for parents to think about when they’re deciding about phones, tablets and TVs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says families should make a media usage plan that works with their everyday lives and what’s important to them. And after looking at psychological studies, the American Psychological Association finds the impact of screens isn’t as simple as one single amount of time. So for families, worrying intensely about screens or just ignoring the issue aren’t that helpful, sensible limits are.
Myth 1: All Screen Time Is the Same
Lots of people get this wrong. Video calls with grandma, school projects, quickly changing videos, and just looking at things on your phone without really doing anything aren’t all the same. Media is different in how quickly it happens, what it’s for, if you’re actively involved, and if it helps or gets in the way of what the family wants to do.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ advice for families on media plans suggests families think about what media is being used and when. This is because experts more generally believe quality, the time of day, and the situation are all very important. Using a screen to talk to people or for homework is likely to be different than using a device during dinner or right before you’re trying to sleep.
Myth 2: The Only Thing That Matters Is the Number of Hours
Lots of people get this wrong. Video calls with grandma, school projects, quickly changing videos, and just looking at things on your phone without really doing anything aren’t all the same. Media is different in how quickly it happens, what it’s for, if you’re actively involved, and if it helps or gets in the way of what the family wants to do.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ advice for families on media plans suggests families think about what media is being used and when. This is because experts more generally believe quality, the time of day, and the situation are all very important. Using a screen to talk to people or for homework is likely to be different than using a device during dinner or right before you’re trying to sleep.
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Myth 3: Screens Are Fine Right Up Until Bedtime
Doctors who specialize in sleep and advice from those who look after children don’t think that’s a good plan. HealthyChildren.org says families should not allow screens in kids’ bedrooms and to switch them off at least sixty minutes before going to bed. They suggest this because of fears media can make it harder to fall asleep, get the brain going, and make the change to sleep much more difficult.
With lots of children, it isn’t simply what they’re viewing, but the timing and location of screen use. A child on a tablet in bed is likely to be awake for longer, to fight against their usual getting ready for bed routine, or have a much more broken down period of calming down. Also, once using screens becomes a normal part of their bedtime, these habits with media can be really tricky to break.
Myth 4: A Strict Ban Works Better Than a Family Plan
Lots of parents think the most rigid rule is the one that will work best, yet doctors who specialize in children generally recommend carefully considering and scheduling things, instead of just forbidding everything. A plan for media use at home can say where screens aren’t allowed, how late kids can use them at night, what should happen with screens during meals, and what media is okay for doing different things.
This method is usually successful because it links how much time on devices is happening with what the family thinks is important and their normal ways of doing things. Rather than making screens the whole issue, it fits them into the broader life of the family. Kids will then be more likely to realize media is a single piece of their day, and not what they automatically go to when they have nothing else going on.
Myth 5: Educational Content Automatically Solves Every Concern
Just because something is labelled ‘educational’ doesn’t mean a kid doesn’t need someone to keep an eye on things, or to have a sensible amount of other things in their life. Good programmes and apps can be detrimental if they are always what’s happening instead of getting enough sleep, playing outside, reading, or chatting with people. And very young children especially usually do better with a grown-up with them, talking about what’s on the screen or relating it to things that happen in reality.
People who know a lot about how little kids grow and learn are always saying that how we get along with others is what really makes learning happen. So, being with adults, both of you focusing on the same thing, and having a grown up respond to what the child says are all still important, even with apps or videos that are meant to be educational.
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Myth 6: Parents Need a Perfect System to Manage Screens Well
This idea of what families should do with screens often makes people feel bad, but doesn’t actually help them make good choices. And the advice from people who really know about this isn’t about being perfect. They suggest families make limits that are possible in real life, change those limits as kids get older, and see if screen time is getting in the way of things like sleep, exercise, being with each other, or school work.
Usually, the best ways to deal with screen time are sensible, not huge overhauls. A place for charging phones outside of bedrooms, no phones at the dinner table, a set time to turn devices off at night, and getting outside to play regularly will probably do much more for how everyone feels as a family than a really strict set of rules that nobody can stick to. You aren’t trying to eliminate all struggle, but to get into a more balanced routine.
How much time is spent on screens is a question for each family to deal with, and isn’t about one specific number.
Key Takeaway
How much time kids spend with screens is actually more complicated than people usually think when they’re talking about raising children. Professionals who study this typically look at where the screen time happens, how old the child is, what they’re doing on the screen, if they’re using screens right before bed, and if screens are taking the place of sleep, exercise, or spending time together as a family. It’s normally more useful to have a reasonable plan for media use than to get really worried or create really strict regulations. Families can control their device use in a much better way with understandable limits for bedrooms, during meals, and a specific time at night to turn everything off.