Rethinking screen time for your child

Why is managing screen time important?

We live in a digital age. Whether it is FaceTiming with family, responding to emails on our phone, or watching TV to relax, technology is very much part of our day-to-day lives as adults, and in the last 10-15 years, there has been an increased use of technology in the lives of children. There are varying opinions and research on this topic, so parents are encouraged to do their research, read the linked articles, and use the ideas to take action on managing and balancing screen time for their child. The World Health Organization and Mayo Clinic both recommend the importance of play and physical activity for development over the use of screens and technology. For young children between birth to one year, screens are not recommended and between two to four years it should be at a minimum and less than one hour. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends that kids older than six limit screen time and encourage more healthy habits.

Below is an outline of the impact of screen time on cognitive, language, and social-emotional development:

Cognitive Development: Screens have shown both a positive and negative impact on cognitive development. For example, the use of screens to enhance educational skills is effective. This includes learning to read programs and reading online. Some research shows screens and multitasking with media negatively impacts sensorimotor skills, executive functioning, and academic outcomes.

Language Development: Language is best developed between an adult and a child’s daily interactions. Poor use of technology can act as a barrier to the natural and meaningful conversations and interactions that can happen between adults and children. If the use of technology is necessary, parents and caregivers should co-view with their children to be able to talk about what they are watching. 

Social-Emotional Development: The use of technology is widespread. From the use of tablets to phones to video games and social media and everything else in between, using all forms of technology at an early age can have a prolonged harmful effect on a child’s sleep habits and emotional development, especially considering the content of the videos and games. Social Media can create unrealistic expectations of the lives people lead online and expose children to content that is inappropriate for their age. This exposure could be difficult for a young mind to process. 

In conclusion, we know screens can impact a child’s development. Technology is also beneficial and necessary to understand in this day and age. Instead of not utilizing screens at all, it will be better to consider the capacity of technology is being used in your child’s life. As we spoke about in our last newsletter, balance in technology use is key. When there are times that technology needs to be used, high-quality, educational use can enhance a child’s development. Parents will need to be involved in creating this balance and following through on any technology boundaries that are set with children.

Technology Use: Active vs. Passive

There are two different uses of screens: Passive and Active. Passive screen time includes children absorbing information from a screen or playing a game with repetitive movements. Active screen time involves cognitive and physical engagement. Take a moment and reflect on the use of screens with your child. How can a movement be made towards actively using screens? If your child is already actively using a screen, how can you continue this as your child gets older?

Another way to consider the use of screens if it is necessary is to divide it into three different buckets: learning, connecting, and entertaining. The division of time amongst these three buckets will vary from family to family depending on your child’s age and their current use of technology. Watching some educational videos or shows might even fill your child’s “entertaining” bucket as well. Also, think about how your child can use technology to connect with friends or family. 

Setting boundaries with technology

As summer approaches, it is important to think about how technology will play a role in your child’s day. It is a great time to set boundaries and have conversations with your child. Beginning any routine changes with an open discussion can help have your child’s buy-in and can create a smooth transition to the new routine. Kids need to know they are part of the decision-making process. This is called setting boundaries. For example, your child (depending on her/his age) will get two hours of screen time between the hours of 1:00-2:00 PM and 7:00-8:00 PM. This talk should provide children with:

• Information about the use of technology

• Why the family (not only the child) is setting boundaries

• When children can use technology

• What can we do during tech-free time

The article below demonstrates key points to have an effective discussion: https://gabb.com/blog/teaching-kids-to-set-boundaries-around-technology/ 

After the boundaries are set, it is up to the parents to monitor and hold their children accountable for the set limits. Here are a few ways to monitor your child’s use of technology:

Time Restrictions for Devices:

• Apple Screen Time

• Android Users

  • Google Family Link 

  • Digital Wellbeing

Streaming Services:

• Enable “kids” profile on popular streaming services: Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, YouTube Kids

Internet Router Control:

Set restrictions via your internet provider. Some internet providers allow parents to control access to certain websites as well as the ability to pause the internet on certain devices. Click here for more information.

This month we have provided families with some active technology sites. While we encourage families to create a balance this summer between physical activity, extracurriculars, and time with friends/family, we understand that technology use may be necessary. Use these active websites to instill some learning and stimulation!