“When it comes to screen time, parents should start worrying less about the amount of time their teenager is online and instead focus on the quality of the content.” Megan Marples
Recommendations
- Ensure screen time does not interfere with sleep.
- Balance screen time with sports, hobbies, creative, and outdoor play.
- Ask your child or teen to give you their cell phone/screens at a specified time at the end of the day.
- Learn about parental controls and privacy settings.
- Many families have success with a technology-free day each week or set technology-free hours each day.
- Children learn from what they see. Be a good role model with your own screen time habits.
- When helping to choose content:
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- Pay attention to messages about gender, body image, violence, diversity, and social issues.
- Explain why certain programs are not appropriate.
- This is a chance to share your own beliefs and values.
- Use Common Sense Media to review issues in books, video games, and movies that you are not familiar with.
Further Reading
Position statement from the Canadian Paediatrics Society: Digital Media: Promoting healthy screen use in school-aged children and adolescents