“Balancing Screen Time in Children” by Janet Li
- Charlotte W
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
Quarantine welcomed immense advances in the digital world, where daily activities became increasingly accessible through the internet. Since then, children have become more and more dependent on screens, where roughly 70% of 16-21 year old surveyed reported negative effects on mental health. Accordingly, parents are becoming more concerned about the role of the internet in their child’s life, where two-thirds of parents in a 2025 survey were afraid that their kids’ childhood would be lost to screen addiction. While screens allow children to explore their interests, connect with long-distance friends and family, and relax, excessive amounts of screen time has also led to unhealthy behaviors. For example, large amounts of screen time can lead to violent behavior and shortened attention span, as well as obesity, reduced sleep quality, and lower physical activity. So, what can parents do to encourage the healthy use of screens?
1) Set a strict screen time
The most commonly used method to control screen time is through setting time limits. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under 18 months of age and up to 1 hour for children under 5 years old, where those over the age of 5 are generally recommended to limit their screen time under 2 hours, with variations according to age.
However, in order for this to successfully limit device use, it’s important that parents set clear and strict limits. 65% of the parents surveyed in a 2025 study allowed their children to continue using screens past a set screen time when the children retaliated. In these cases, instead of promoting healthy screen times, it ends up fueling addiction by teaching the child that they can increase their screen time by undermining parental control. Especially when children first start regularly using screens, parents should make sure to remind their children when they’ve reached their limit and turn off the device.
2) Set a downtime
While many parents are familiar with the idea of setting a screen time, many overlook the importance of downtime—specific times of the day when screens are not allowed. Minimizing screen exposure 1 hour before bed can increase time slept and enhance sleep quality. In addition, it can promote the adoption of other activities before bed, such as reading, rather than using screens. Devices are also recommended to be avoided while eating in order to prevent habits like mindless snacking that can escalate into unhealthy weight gain.
3) Encouraging breaks
It’s important that children take breaks when looking at screens in order to prevent eye strain and vision issues. Healthcare professionals recommend following the 20/20/20 rule, which states that for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This is especially important in young children whose eyes are developing at a faster rate. By taking breaks at 20 minute intervals, children can also understand how much time they’ve already spent on a device, rather than just mindlessly using up their screen time.
4) Monitor digital consumption
The internet can be curated into a powerful tool for children. Parents can promote this by increasing access to high-quality resources while restricting child access to harmful content, such as those including violence. Parents can opt to check games and videos before their child plays/watches them, where restrictions can be slowly lifted as children get older and more intentional with the media they consume.
While devices are known to discourage physical activity, parents can actually develop screen time into a way to promote exercise. Specifically, children can be encouraged to watch and follow along with short at-home exercise videos. For example, children can do yoga while watching a yoga video.
5) Daily meditation
Daily meditation can decrease some of the effects of excessive screen use. Digital content, especially short-form content, has been linked to decreased attention span, decreased focus, and increased irritability. On the other hand, daily 10-minute meditation, where a person sits and does nothing, can decrease stress, increase attention and focus, and increase patience. Promoting this practice early in a child’s life is a powerful way to promote mindfulness and relaxation.
In addition, children are more inclined to do things if they see someone around them doing it as well. Thus, children with parents who engage in these habits will also be more likely to incorporate it in their lives as well.
Takeaways
Rather than taking away childhood, the internet can enhance the lives of children when it’s used in moderation. Parents can use a variety of methods to actively promote healthy use of screens, such that it doesn’t interfere with other aspects of a child’s life, such as their social life, mental health, and hobbies. Balancing screen time with other activities can allow children to use the internet while protecting their health.
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