Should Parents Limit Screen Time? Unraveling the Mystery Behind Your Child's Success and Well-being

On average, kids spend more than seven hours per day on non-educational screen use. While numbers vary based on age group, it is safe to say that many children get too much screen time. When this is the case, it can affect a child’s sleep and cause other problems.

Children's screen time isn't all bad. In fact, the right kind of screen time can be advantageous. However, excessive screen time is something to avoid. So, should parents limit screen time, and how much screen time is too much? What else should you know?

In this article, we'll discuss whether parents should limit screen time, screen time guidelines by age, and what to know about setting limits for kids. Then, we'll talk about how Joon can help.

Should I Limit My Child's Screen Time?

Not all screen time is created equally. Learning programs, watching videos, or playing games can help kids develop valuable skills, such as improved impulse control, problem-solving, academic, critical thinking, and social skills.

Even so, it is important to consider factors such as your child's age group. It is widely agreed upon that babies and very young children should have relatively limited screen time. After that, every child is different, but it is still important to set limits.

Screen time guidelines can help parents decide how much time kids should spend using screens, when screen media is beneficial, and what to avoid.

Screen Time Guidelines By Age

To avoid the negative effects of excessive screen time, parents can implement limits such as the following. While we are still learning about some of the drawbacks and benefits of media use for kids, these guidelines are largely agreed on by experts at this time.

0-18 months

It is recommended that kids 0-18 months old do not get screen time at all except for video chatting. For example, kids and their caregivers may video chat with a long-distance family member.

18-24 months

It is recommended that screen time for kids ages 18-24 months old is limited to educational programming with a caregiver (e.g., watching TV programs like sesame street). Studies have found that watching with a child and talking about what they are seeing provides some social benefit over just putting them in front of a device. 

2-5 years old

Young kids in the 2-5 age range should get no more than one hour of non-educational screen time per day on weekdays and up to three hours of non-educational screen time on weekends.

Children 6 and older

It’s recommended that those with school-age kids (ages 6+) help their children develop healthy screen time habits. This can include turning off screens during family outings, removing screens from the bedroom, and learning about parental controls for mobile devices. 

Setting Screen Time Limits: What To Know

Since screen time guidelines for young children are more clear-cut than they are for older kids, parents may wonder how to help their kids develop healthy screen time habits as they age up. Here are some things to keep in mind when setting screen time limits and working to create balance in your home.

How Joon Can Help

Joon is a to-do app for kids ages 6-12+ that doubles as a game. Using Joon is an excellent way to encourage children to complete offline tasks and get to a place of balance with technology. Here's how it works:

To start, parents download the Joon Parent App and create a list of real-life tasks for their kids to complete. For example, homework, reading time, personal hygiene tasks, or chores. Children connect with a separate app called Joon Pet Game. When kids finish tasks and parents mark them as complete, children get rewards in Joon Pet Game that allow them to take care of a virtual pet and move forward in the game. You can use your own devices or share a device with a child.

90% of kids who use Joon finish all of the tasks parents assign. Even better, it's backed by professionals such as child psychologists, therapists, and occupational therapists. Many parents say that Joon has improved their parent-child relationship, and the app is rated an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars in the App Store.

Click here to try Joon for free!

Limiting screen time before bed

Digital screens should be off-limits 30-60 minutes before bed. Not only does this promote good sleep, but it reduces overall screen time per day. Many parents create a household rule where electronic devices are not allowed in a child's room before bed or while they sleep. While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends removing screens from a child's bedroom, this guideline isn't just for kids - blue light heightens the risk of sleep problems, so adults can benefit from this boundary, too.

Use other activities to avoid too much screen time

Balancing screen time often comes more naturally when other activities are part of a person's day. During both the school year and Summer months, making a schedule for kids can help. Add activities your child enjoys to their life (such as art, sports, extracurricular classes or groups, and time with friends), routine responsibilities like chores, and family time.

Understanding your own habits makes a difference

It can be helpful for parents to reflect on their own screen time and implement more tech-free family activities. Set a positive example for your child, and make sure that you set aside time for tech-free activities and interactions. Online resources such as the AAP media plan creator for families can help you make a plan that involves the entire family. You can edit or change your plan at any time.

Not all screen time is bad

While it is critical to avoid excessive screen time, not all screen time is bad. Just as parents can help kids by setting aside times when electronic devices like cell phones are off-limits, it can be worthwhile to reflect on what kind of screen use is beneficial for children. Playing age-appropriate games can have benefits, as can video chatting and other types of media use. On the other hand, fully unlimited and unsupervised social media use can be risky. 

The Risk For Screen Addiction

Screen addiction is a real risk for kids, teens, and adults. It can have a negative impact on children's brains, interpersonal relationships, and both physical and mental well-being. Notably, excessive screen use can mean that kids get less sleep and less physical activity. The good news is that it's possible to address or reverse screen addiction. Understanding the signs of screen addiction can help parents identify it in a child.

Signs of screen addiction can include but aren't limited to the following:

• Emotional withdrawal symptoms (e.g., irritability or anger) when unable to use screens
• Reduction or elimination of activities one usually enjoys due to time spent on screens
• Problems in interpersonal relationships, favoring online interactions over real-life friendships, or spending less time with people in real life due to excessive screen use
• Increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns
• Trouble reducing screen time even if one wants to cut back
• Physical symptoms such as neck, eye, hand, or back pain
• Lying to hide excessive cell phone or internet use
• Only feeling happy when using technology

If your child experiences screen addiction, seeing a mental health professional who works with internet addiction (which includes the use of mobile devices and other types of technology) may be helpful. 

Takeaway 

Most parents in this day and age wonder whether they should limit their children's screen time, and if so, how. Just as research shows that some device use can be beneficial, too much screen time comes with drawbacks. When screen time is excessive, such as in cases of screen addiction, it can affect a child's development and overall well-being. The good news is that parents can help their children develop a healthy balance. Setting limits, being mindful of the kind of content your child consumes, and using apps like Joon can help.