5 Approaches to Foster Healthy Screen Time Habits in Children

Living in this modern digital age means that children must learn how to manage social media use and screen time and how to stay safe online at all times. 

One of the most common dilemmas that parents have to deal with is deciding when they should allow their kids to have access to the internet and smartphones. 

The secret here is to time it properly for when the children are already capable and responsible enough to use digital devices and when they already have the necessary skills for using social media. 

Many of today’s social networking platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat specify and mandate that their users should be over 13 years of age. Many apps and games also come with geolocation and social connection functions. 

This is the reason why it’s imperative to teach kids the importance of boundaries. You can talk to them as frequently as possible about friendship, respect, privacy, and online safety. Internet safety may involve knowing what’s considered suitable to post and watch online, how to limit virtual gaming and social connections only to people they know, and how to open up about cyberbullying whenever they experience it. 

Another significant question among parents is how much screen time is allowable. Well, as a parent, it is up to you to decide what you will allow depending on the age of your child. However, you need to remember that too much screen time can have negative effects on both the brain development and health of children. 

The next concern is the other activities they miss out on every time their eyes are glued to their devices. Is their sleep affected in any way because of screen use? Do their social and family relationships suffer because they are too fixated on their devices? 

Experts have the following recommendations regarding screen time:

• No screen time for 0 to 2 years old
• Not more than 1 hour a day for 2 to 5 years old 
• Not more than 2 hours of sedentary recreation screen time a day (homework excluded) for 5 to 17 years 

Now that you have an idea about the appropriate screen time, here are five approaches to foster healthier screen time habits in your kids. 

1. Be Familiar with Technology 

Make sure you familiarize yourself with the apps your child uses often. Check if these are safe and suitable for their age as well as the kind of content they will most likely see. 

Take time to teach your kids how to update and check their privacy settings. You might also want to consider switching off your WiFi connectivity now and then, and put up security filters for suitable online content.

Products, device functions, and spy apps are also tools that will let you keep tabs on the apps your children are using and when. They also let you set time limits accordingly. 

2. Tell Your Kids to Take a Break 

It doesn’t matter if your kid is using their digital device for fun or study, always encourage them to go for a break for just 20 seconds every 20 minutes. During this quick break, tell them to look at something at a distance such as across the room. 

Doing so will prevent eye strain and allow their eyes to refocus. Guide them in planning what they will do with tie screen time as well as balance it with the rest of the activities they want to do offline.  

3. Observe Healthy and Proper Screen Use Yourself 

Keep in mind that your kids are watching and copying everything you do. Make sure you are a good role model for them by managing your screen use properly. You might be surprised if you check how many hours you spend on your phone on average every single day. Be sure to look up whenever someone calls your attention. Show your kids that you can also put away your devices and enjoy your screen-free time. 

4. Set and Monitor Limits 

Talk to your family members regularly regarding their online activities and explain the limits you set and how you plan to monitor them. Establish clear rules regarding screen time per day as well as expectations such as putting away gadgets during mealtimes and at least an hour before they go to bed. 

Recharge gadgets during the night outside bedrooms because these temptations can disrupt your child’s sleep. You can also decide to prohibit the use of devices in bedrooms or other areas where it will be impossible for you to monitor your child’s activities. 

Acknowledge and commend responsible behavior such as calmly switching off once their time is over and taking proper care of their gadgets. Most importantly, always keep the communication lines open so that your kids don’t feel like you don’t trust them enough or you’re invading their privacy. 

5. Show Interest in Your Kids’ Screen Use

Do online activities together or play games with your child. Show interest by asking about the apps they’re using, the specific goals of their games, or the friends they often talk to over social media. Check-in with your kids regarding the content they access often and praise them every time they make good choices. 

The Bottom Line 

Through these five simple but effective approaches, you can be sure that your kid will develop healthier screen time habits that will stick with them until they become adults.