A Pediatrician’s Guide for Parents on Children and Screen Time
Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, Wellstar Children’s of Georgia pediatrician and author of the bestselling book “Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right,” uses her “no time, some time, never all the time” philosophy to provide families with guidance around screen time. At nearly every wellness visit, Dr. Dolgoff talks with parents about how to set healthy limits with screen time. “We’re seeing language delays in children from too much screen time,” she explained. Some signs that children may be spending too much time on social media, gaming or watching videos can include:
- Aggression
- Difficulty handling boredom without a screen
- Trouble connecting with peers
- Sleep disruption
- Poor focus in school
- Withdrawing from hobbies or activities they once enjoyed
Troubling trends in children’s media habits
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization that advocates for children’s health in the digital age. Its most recent survey of the digital habits of children 8 and younger showed that by age 2, 40% of children have their own tablet. By age 4, that number climbs to 58%. The survey also found that 1 in 5 children use mobile devices during meals, at bedtime or to cope with emotions. Dr. Dolgoff stresses that parents must monitor and regulate their children’s digital use across all platforms. Yet the same survey shows gaps in how families co-view content: 62% of parents occasionally watched YouTube with their children, compared to only 17% on TikTok. The survey also found that screen use varies by income. Children in lower-income households spend twice as much time on screens (3 hours, 48 minutes) as those in higher-income households (1 hour, 52 minutes).Guidelines for screen time by age
As a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Dolgoff suggests that parents know and follow the organization’s screen time guidelines for children:- Under 18 months: No screen time
- 18 to 24 months: Only educational content with parents
- 2 to 5 years: No more than one hour per day
- 6 years and older: Balanced screen time that doesn’t interfere with family, friends and schoolwork
What do screen time limits look like?
According to Dr. Dolgoff, parents don’t need to worry if little ones under 18 months use screens for video chats with loved ones like grandparents. But she adds an important distinction: “Content matters. Mindlessly scrolling through TikTok videos is not what we want children doing for hours each day.” Fortunately, children’s programming has expanded considerably since the parents of today were kids. YouTube Kids, PBS Kids, Netflix, Apple TV and other streaming services serve a variety of programs. Here are some healthy screen time choices, along with suggested time limits:- Toddler (2 to 3 years): Video call with grandparents and 30 minutes of educational programming such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood or Sesame Street with parents watching
- Elementary school (6 to 10 years): Homework on Chromebook or other platform and 30 minutes of YouTube Kids, unstructured outside play and bedtime stories
- Teens (13 years and older): Homework time and no more than two hours of other screen use for gaming or socializing with friends
- “What do you think will happen next?”
- “How would you feel if that happened to you?”
- “Could this happen in real life?”
- “How would you have made this better?”
Sound screen habits begin with parents
Young children develop social and communication skills by observing, listening, talking (babbling counts!), reading, singing and playing with parents, siblings and others. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates that parents put down their phones so they can focus on those activities and interactions. For help, parents can turn to apps designed to monitor their smartphone and tablet use. They can also examine their habits by asking themselves questions such as:- “Am I scrolling at the dinner table?”
- “Am I texting while driving?”
- “How much are my children watching me use my phone for entertainment?”
- “Am I setting a good example by having hobbies and interests that don’t involve screens?”
Experts advise ways to set and enforce limits
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Pediatrics understand the temptations of screens and parents’ difficulty setting limits. Some of their advice for parents:- Avoid using screens as pacifiers, babysitters or to stop tantrums.
- Create tech-free times, with extended breaks and tech-free zones, including the meal table.
- Learn about and use parental controls on devices, including phones, tablets, laptops and televisions.
- Make family outings technology-free—and that includes cameras.
- Remove screens from bedrooms 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.
- Set a timer when using a device as a reminder to turn it off or put it away.
Tips for enforcing screen-time limits
It’s in children’s nature to resist when they don’t want to stop doing something pleasant or fun. It’s the parents’ job to stick to the limits they’ve set. Some more ideas for managing children’s reactions to screen-time limits include:- Have a designated “quiet spot” for younger children to calm down if they rage after time on a device is up.
- Offer alternatives after a device is turned off. Those could include playing a board game, reading a book together, playing with a favorite toy or creating an art project.
- Warn children before their time limit is up.
Resources for parents
- The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry on screen time limits, music and music videos, video games, movie and video choice, and screen violence
- Common Sense Media
- Google and Apple content about online safety and parental controls
- Healthychildren.org, a website of the American Academy of Pediatrics
- know2protect, guidelines for protecting children online from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
