By Alya Azar, INHC & Darshi Shah, INHC/CNT
Screen time is one of the hottest topics amongst parents, and they want to know how much screen time is appropriate for their young children. We receive questions such as: how many hours should I allow my kids to use their phones? At what age should children start using a phone? And Is social media dangerous to kids?
The truth is that these electronic screens aren’t going away and they’re everywhere -even on a cruise ship in the middle of nowhere! Looking at recent data, we see that 98% of homes in the US with young children have a mobile-touch screen device. Children (aged 8-10) spend an average of 6 hours/ day on screen time (includes 4 hours of TV); and children (aged 11-18) spend an average of 9 hours/day (includes 5 hours of TV).
Why is this not a good thing?
- Less time for physical movement can increases our risk of cardio-metabolic diseases and obesity.
- Less time for academic goals can lower academic achievement.
- Less time for face to face conversations, relationship building, and service to others.
- Less time for relaxed activities like neighborhood play and quiet down time with oneself.
- Less quality time with loved ones.
- Screen time affectspsychological wellbeing: A study cited 1 or more hours of screen time was generally linked to progressively lower psychological well-being: not being curious, having less self-control, having less emotional stability, more difficult to, care for, anxiety or depression.
- Worsening sleep patterns: A meta-analysis of 67 studies cited increased screen time can result in shortened durations and delayed timings of sleep in children and adolescents. This outcome in children impacts future risk of obesity, psychological well-being, improved cognitive functions, and lower risk-taking behaviors.
We don’t see Apple making it easier for parental controls any time soon, so strategies to reduce screen time MUST come from within the home. The best tips to empower our children to make a change start with:
- Children model parents. Parents must limit their screen times and set rules about dining times and quality family times
- Set a daily screen time limit and empower children to prioritize screen activities.
So what is the appropriate amount of screen time for our children?
- Children (aged < 18 months) should not be having screen time, except for video chatting
- Children (aged 2-5) can have up to 1 hour/day of quality programs with parental supervision for better comprehension of program content.
- Children (aged > 5) can have up to 2hours/day NOT including educational screen time.
- Screen time before bed can impact melatonin production and impact sleep.
It is our responsibilities as parents to protect our children from the potential “health risks” associated with screen time and we need to persevere until we set the proper limits, especially when we parents are sometimes as addicted to technology as our children are. At the end of the day we want to raise emotional intelligent children who are well rounded. Remember aside from screen time, it’s important to encourage face-to-face interactions and regular physical movement.
