Tips for limiting screen time for kids

[4 MIN READ] 

In this article:

• Making the right decisions about children’s screen time and screen time limits can feel challenging at best — and downright impossible at worst. That’s because technology is always evolving, and parents didn’t grow up with today’s platforms. 

• Viewing content with your child, keeping screens from disrupting sleep, modeling responsible screen behavior and developing a family media use plan are all good ways to navigate the potential pitfalls of screens.

• The 5 Cs of Media Use from the American Academy of Pediatrics can help you develop a media use plan that fits your family.

Navigating screen time for kids: Tips from a pediatrician (and mom)

Screens and screen time limits tend to cause parents angst, regardless of a child’s age. And for good reason: Many parents didn’t grow up with the screens and platforms we have now, and the technology is constantly changing, making it hard to keep up.

Plus, parents juggling busy schedules and never-ending to-do lists may have a hard time enforcing screen time limits and monitoring content. However, kids between the ages of 8 and 12 reportedly spend four to six hours a day watching or using screens, and teens up to nine hours. It’s critical for parents to understand how their children interact with their devices.

While screens aren’t all bad news — they can certainly provide learning opportunities and entertainment — they do come with a multitude of potential problems, such as the development of sedentary lifestyle habits. 

Elizabeth Meade, M.D., a pediatrician and medical director of quality for pediatrics at Providence Swedish Pediatric Hospital Medicine in Seattle — and a mom herself — offers parents some tips for creating a framework around responsible screen time.

4 screen time tips

Parents often have “tons of questions” about screen time, Dr. Meade says, especially how it may affect child development. Here, she offers four tips for navigating this complex topic.

View content together

In general, Dr. Meade says, screen time recommendations don’t pertain to children younger than 18 months old. An exception is video chatting (alongside a parent or another trusted adult) with an out-of-town family member.

“We can liberalize that a little bit as kids get older,” Dr. Meade says, “but even for toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children, we really want to think about (how kids are using screens).”

That means sitting next to a young child and co-viewing high-quality programming together.

“When you’re viewing the material with them, you know what they’re seeing,” Dr. Meade says.

That’s important when you consider the type of content — like scenes depicting violence, sexual actions and substance abuse — kids today can engage with on screens if left to their own (pardon the pun) devices. 

You can also use that time to discuss the content, including a few teachable moments here and there.

Don’t let screens interfere with sleep

Kids of all ages — including adolescents — need rest to grow and develop. Spending time in front of a screen before bed can disrupt good sleep habits and a healthy sleep environment.

“Kids need nine to 12 hours of sleep every night,” Dr. Meade says. It’s important to make sure kids have plenty of time for rest and screens don’t interfere.

Model responsible screen behavior

It can be challenging to enforce good screen habits in your kids when you’re not modeling them yourself. 

That means putting your phone away at mealtimes, reading before bed instead of scrolling and ignoring the ding of an email or text during family time, Dr. Meade says.

Develop a family media use plan

Your family is unique. How you use screens should be, too. That’s why it’s important to create a family media use plan that works for your family and that you all agree to follow.

“Come together as a family to talk about how you’re going to use screens and come up with some screen time rules that work for everyone in the house,” Dr. Meade says.

The American Academy of Pediatrics developed the 5 Cs of Media Use, which can help you create a screen use plan that fits your family. 

The 5 Cs include:

• Child: What’s your child’s personality like? And what is their motivation for using screens?
• Content: What kind of content is age-appropriate and fits your child’s maturity level?
• Calm: How does your child calm emotions to fall asleep? How much quiet time does your child need every day?
• Crowding out: What activities (e.g., time with family and friends, playtime, participation in a team sport or other physical activity) is screen time replacing?
• Communication: How can you have regular, open-minded conversations with your child about media use?

If you need help finding a movie, TV show or video game that fits your child’s age and maturity level, Common Sense Media can be useful. Also, while not a fail-safe, setting parental controls can help you filter and monitor the content your child engages with. 

Contributing caregiver

Elizabeth Meade, M.D., is a pediatrician and medical director of quality for pediatrics at Providence Swedish Pediatric Hospital Medicine in Seattle.

Find a doctor

If you’re looking for a pediatrician to help you manage your child’s screen time use, you can search for one who’s right for you and your child using our provider directory. 

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Related resources

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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.