There is no magic number when it comes to kids and screen time. No answer for what hour limits will ensure children have a healthy relationship with media. No single parental control that will create a well-adjusted adult with a healthy body image and minimal myopia.
The good news is that letting a toddler watch extra Ms. Rachel one day so you can maintain your sanity isn’t going to end in disaster.
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics that came out this week goes beyond the typical hour limits to take a more nuanced look at children’s relationships with screens. In addition to updated advice for families, it looks deeper into what is behind problematic screen time and finds it’s not just parenting.
“This ecosystem is shaped by industry incentives and lies largely outside the control of individual families,” the report says.
The group’s recommendations have been steadily evolving alongside developments in technology. A decade ago, it recommended no more than two hours of screens for kids over 2. Then it loosened those limits but suggested no screens under 18 months, with few exceptions. It has since switched to advice that focuses more on the quality of content, what other activities it is replacing, and what the adults are doing on their own screens.
I spoke to Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician and associate professor at the University of Michigan who studies children and technology, about the AAP’s latest take on kids and screens, and some things every parent can try.
It’s not (just) you
“Screen time doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It is intersecting with all the different levels of families’ contexts, from poverty to stress to whether devices are in schools,” Radesky says.
Families aren’t just going against tweens who want more Snapchat and YouTube. They are contending with tech companies that design engagement-based algorithmic feeds meant to keep users glued to devices as long as possible, sometimes with content designed to provoke a reaction, like rage or negative social comparisons, says Radesky.
“It can’t all be on the shoulders of parents. It needs to be the game designers and the social media companies designing more around child needs and developmental principles,” she said.
Sprinkle in some flexibility
Having consistent rules around screens, and setting them early on, keeps it from becoming a constant battle. The AAP still has plenty of concrete advice here, like creating phone-free zones at home, only allowing one screen at a time, using parental controls and favoring high-quality content.
However, you also need some dynamic decision-making around your kids’ relationships with screens, says Radesky. That might include flexibility for an infant — the AAP now says brief, higher-quality content like “Sesame Street” isn’t detrimental — and allowing exceptions without guilt. It’s also not a one-time conversation. When it comes to a set number of hours on a device, that’s dependent on the child, the type of media, and what else they’re doing with their free time.
“This is a more complex process of ongoing monitoring and mentorship and conversations around media. Not just set it and forget it sort of rule,” says Radesky.
Adults, parent thyself
If you want your kids to be off their screens more, you should try to put your own down, says Radesky. Adults are more likely to have higher amounts of screen time when they are under “substantial stress” according to the report, so if you’re reaching for TikTok to disassociate too often, try addressing the underlying cause if possible.
“Parents need to think about their role and role modeling, but the same exact designs that are working on kids are working parents, too,” Radesky says.
Choose a different kind of screen
Instead of a movie night where everyone picks up their own individual screens and escapes into different worlds alone, try getting them on the same big screen, says Radesky. Joint media consumption is associated with greater learning, according to the report.
Watching a TV show or movie together also creates a shared experience you can bond over. It might bring up opportunities to discuss important topics, or just laugh at the same jokes instead of being lost when they reference memes.
Curious about the quality of your own family’s screen time? Take this quiz to find out how you’re doing.
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