Screen Time Best Practices
We are hearing that parents are feeling guilty about the amount of screen time their children are consuming. During this stressful time, many parents are finding resources limited. Parents with school-aged children are juggling school assignments, working from home, and throwing their hands in the air in a gesture of defeat. There is some good news - the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) has new guidelines for screen time for children aged 5 to 19 years that consider more than just quantity of time spent in front of screens. They focus on quality, content and context, as well as how and when screens are used. The CPS divided their recommendations into 4 M’s:
Manage screen use by creating a family media plan. Think about how and when you want to use media.
Make screens meaningful, educational, active and social. Focus on an overall balanced daily routine. Get outside, be active, and eat well.
Model healthy screen use. Have screen-free time for meals and socializing.
Monitor. Practice balanced, informed monitoring of screen time and behaviours.
Not all screens are equal. This current crisis has revealed how we are using technology to connect and strengthen relationships. Children can play games with school mates, use Zoom platforms and Face Time with family members, and enjoy play-dates online. Young children can enjoy a story time with grandparents. Encouraging children to share pictures, stories and videos with family members is a positive way of using technology for social connection.
Good content is key. Choose age-appropriate, high quality media and tech. CommonSense Media is an independent, nonprofit organization which lists research-based entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools that provides information about what is in a movie, TV program, game, app or book for a variety of ages.
For younger children, choose commercial-free screen time such as PBS or TVO. Slow-paced educational programming is most suitable. A good question to ask yourself is, “Is this relevant to a young child and how they see the world?”
Watch programs with children and talk to them about what they are watching. With older children discuss ideas and issues about what they learn through a TV show or game. Take the opportunity to learn about each other and share your values.
Use screen time as a scaffold to a non-screen activity. Join the New England Aquarium virtual visits , create playdough creatures, and add a book. Watch the National Geographic Kids Africa visit, and follow up with their own animals or puppets to deepen their understanding. Create a place for their animals to live.
Get creative. Let children utilize screens to use their imagination. Let them use screens to make videos, record songs, or take pictures to tell stories.
Families have enough going on without having to count the number of minutes their children are spending in front of a screen or taking something away that they enjoy. Find a balance, and practice less guilt.
Written by Joyce Williams, Parent Support Coach