Written by
Ava Akbarian
Managing your child’s screen time is important for their wellbeing and education. Most young Australian’s exceed their recommended screen time use with only 15% of 5-12 year olds meeting the guidelines.
Research revealed that during COVID-19 lockdowns, young people were on their screens 35 minutes more on average.
‘Screen Time’ refers to the time spent using digital devices or looking at a screen.
This may include time on the iPad, TV, computer, phone or gaming console.
Not all screentime is equal.
Dr Rosina McAlpine, Parenting Expert and CEO of Win Win Parenting segregates screen time into:
This is sedentary (sitting down) and includes texting, social media, gaming, TV and videos.
This screen time refers to things such as “TV documentaries, online research, educational videos, being online for education purposes.”
Managing your child’s screen time can be a difficult task, particularly communicating with your teenager.
Dr McAlpine outlines 3 main aspects of screentime:
‘What content’;
‘How long’’; and
‘Online safety’.
Dr McAlpine believes parents should consider the age of the child when looking at screen time.
The Australian Government provides guidelines for recreational screen time (not including school work).
For kids aged 3-5, no more than 1 hour per day
For kids aged 5-17, no more than 2 hours per day
“It is important to understand that not all screen time is equal – Limiting sedentary ‘recreational’ screen time to under the recommended guidelines protects children’s mental and physical wellbeing.”
Dr McAlpine suggests that if children are going to have screen time, they should also have increased physical activity.
The negative impacts of increased screen time for children aged 5-17 can include:
Weight and diet
Behavioural problems
Anxiety
Hyperactivity
Self-esteem
School’s are also playing a large role in reducing excessive screen time.
Moderated screen time however, can have benefits for kids. For example, social media is a key way to connect with peers. Gaming has been linked to improved motor skills, coordination and stress management.
Educational screen time is more difficult to limit.
Many school aged children have group chats for assignments, research online or use Microsoft apps for class and homework.
“Where possible – invite children to break up the time they are sitting with a break. Walk and stretch so they are not sitting for long periods of time” says Dr McAlpine.
Parents need to consider the total time children are “sitting” at screens as it can harm eye health and physical and mental wellbeing – swap screens for outdoor physical activities where possible.
In the same way parents protect their children in life for example when they are young crossing the road and when they are teens protecting them from harmful activities parents need to “protect” their children’s physical and mental well being when it comes to technology.
A few ways to ensure your child is consuming safe media content includes:
Making sure they have appropriate privacy and safety setting on social media
Read movie reviews, game reviews and app reviews to monitor for areas of concern
Safe search option turned on for search engines
“Remember, children can’t unsee something traumatic or inappropriate.”
Remember to look out for any signs your child is being cyberbullied.
Parents can try and limit their own screen time.
Research shows a strong correlation between parents’ screen time and their children’s.
Engage in screen time together
Participating in screen time together and engaging in conversation can encourage learning opportunities. This is also an easy way to monitor your child’s content.
Dr McAlpine advises melatonin needs to form in the brain for us to feel drowsy and sleep.
“Looking at bright lights – like a screen can be harmful to natural sleep patterns.”
She suggests:
Turning off all screens 90 minutes before sleep
Parents can shut off WiFi at night
Parents can set up a ‘technology charging station’ for everyone to remove access to screens before bed or in the middle of the night
The best way to manage your child’s screen time is to balance your child’s day with other activities.
Try and encourage or facilitate your child engaging in sports and hobbies. Research shows that physical activities support the use of screen time.
Other activities your child could try include scooter or bike riding, dancing, going to the park with friends or rock climbing.
Dr McAlpine suggests increasing your child’s awareness to assess:
This includes monitoring themselves for any signs of addiction, and their mood during and after use.
Involving your child in decision making helps them find ways to use screen time safely and beneficially. Your child will begin to recognise the consequences of excessive screen time.
When communicating, try to be supportive while setting time and content screen time boundaries.
“Encourage creativity when using screens – produce & share work (novel, short story, photography, film, or other visual art) online eg: TeenInk.com & One-Story.com are two sites devoted to publishing teenage writers. Invite learning programming, animation, or app design courses.”
Dr McAlpine recommends only managing your child’s screen until they are an age where they can regulate their own screen time.
“For older children help them learn the potential dangers of inappropriate or excessive screen use.”
This may include making sure they have a good digital footprint or being safe online.
Dr McApline summarises, parents should learn about digital safety and wellbeing to:
Make informed choices for your children
Increase your child’s awareness of digital safety
Educate children of all ages and stages about the potential harms of excessive or inappropriate screen time
About
Ava works as a Digital Writer for School Choice Magazine as well as a a contributor to the annual ‘Choosing a School Magazine’.