Dial Down the Devices

Screen Awareness Week is the third week in March, so let's chat about kids and digital devices.

Screens can be a big topic of debate among families, and opinions vary widely on how much time should be spent on screens. It’s likely that children spend more time online in the summer if they are not busy with sports, camps or travel. The start of a school year offers an opportunity to down shift that screen time. 

Dr. Haynesworth suggests that screen time will be naturally limited when families focus on making sure kids get some structured activity time right after school along with free play and physical activity. Remember to model the behaviors you expect of your children. If you’re always looking at a screen, they will be more inclined to do the same. 

Quality Matters with Media Use

Dr. Haynesworth recommends considering the quality of digital media use in addition to the quantity of time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), evidence-based guidelines don’t focus as much on specific screen time limits for all children and teens because they can have many kinds of online experiences.

The specific activities that children and teens engage in online, including social media, should be carefully considered. AAP recommends that parents stay engaged and support their children in the use of media. Keep in mind how the use of media, including social media, is tied to a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and identity development.

INFANTS, TODDLERS & TECH 

AAP’s media use guidelines for families recommends that screen time and media use be very limited for children younger than two years old. Other than video chatting, the AAP recommends minimizing or eliminating media exposure for children under the age of 18 months. 

What’s Your Family Media Plan?

It can be challenging to monitor your children’s media use as well as your own. Talk about the benefits and concerns and develop a Family Media Use Plan that considers your family’s priorities and your child(ren)’s developmental stages.

Visit aap.org to learn more about risks, benefits and use patterns of media, including the use of television, social media, and video games. Media influence on unhealthy behaviors, cyberbullying, sexting and online
solicitations are all concerns that the AAP highlights and parents should be aware of as they make family media plan decisions.

This article is adapted from Families First magazine. Subscribe to our magazine today.