The problem: I’m worried my child might have an unhealthy dependence on screens.
Make a plan for cutting back screen time.
Do: It’s easy to get sucked into the screen to fill in the gaps. Media can be addictive. Create screen zones — living room, car on long trips. Decide on time limits to satisfy the craving. Your child can make a time card to record start and end times for watching TV, playing video games, or using a computer.
Check out what your child is watching.
If you’re really worried about content and if screen time is excessive, talk to a counselor about your concerns. For some kids, screen addiction can be damaging.
Don’t be the enabler.
- Don’t make screens the go-to cure for boredom. A little screen time is not a bad thing in the right place and time. We can access a lot of information on our smartphones, but your child probably does not need to watch a movie while you’re shopping for groceries.
- Don’t let a screen be a substitute for time with friends and family. Encourage interactions with live humans rather than the animated variety.
Provide an alternative to screen time.
Say:
- “Instead of watching The Wizards of Waverly Place, let’s pick out what we’re having for dinner together.”
- “Let’s build a fort outside instead of playing that video game.”
Don’t criticize your child.
Don’t say: “You’re always looking at the screen. You’re going to fry your brain. Don’t you know there’s a big world out there that’s passing you by?”
Why this approach to managing screen time matters
It’s easy to stay plugged in all the time, but screen time can be addictive. It often starts to take the place of other activities that reap positive benefits, like playing outside, building with Legos, and interacting with others.
Too much screen time can result in sensory overload. And for some kids, screen addiction can have devastating consequences neurologically as well as socially.
Monitor content as well as time. Discuss appropriate games, movies, and TV shows with your child.
