Research highlights the risks of excessive screen time, from sleep disruptions to delayed language. Balance screens with real-world interactions for healthy development.
Key Concepts:
- In general, research indicates some negative outcomes correlated with more screen time. These include “tunnel vision,” reduction in social skills and connection, cognitive outcomes, higher body mass, delayed language development, sleep disruptions, and anxiety. However, these are associations, so we cannot definitively say screen time is the cause.
- Dangers around screen time are more about what kids are NOT doing when they are on screens, than on the screens themselves.
- Research shows that regardless of the content, children learn best through serve and return style interactions with a person, and information provided through experience and real-world context.
- When parents treated TV as a way of starting conversations and discussing the content with their children, the negative aspects of screen time were erased.
- When a parent is absorbed by their phone, it makes it tough to respond to a child’s needs. How you model your own screen use is a powerful example for your child.
What to Try:
- Avoid screen time before bed as it can affect sleep.
- Differentiate between screen time and FaceTime. Toddlers can and do have meaningful social interactions via FaceTime (assuming that they like it, which not all kiddos do).
- Coview when possible. Ask questions, discuss characters, and connect information to real life whenever possible
- Choose TV over ipad or phone and make sure it is watched in public space. TV is better for attention, absorption and safety.
- Avoid using headphones and make sure the volume is on high enough for you to hear the programming. This ensures safety and can prevent accidental content from being consumed.
- Avoid screens at meals. Children need to practice self-regulation, frustration tolerance, and family conversation/connection.
- Avoid screens during tantrums. We want our children to practice calming themselves and working through hard moments without distraction.
- If you are introducing screen time, consider having regular days/times where it occurs. This can help to reduce begging and help your toddler to understand limits.
- Balance all screen time with face to face interactions, exercise, and activities.
- Pay attention to your own screen use in front of your child. Follow at least some of the same rules you expect of them (for example, no phones at meals or during family time).
- Choose high-quality, age appropriate, “boring”, and non-commercial content.
- Pay attention to messages regarding gender, body image, violence, diversity, and social issues. Also look for tone, peer aggression, overly complex storylines or overstimulation (for example: bells, whistles, gamification).