Concerned if your child is glued to screens most of the time? You're not alone. 95% of Indian parents share the same worry about their child's screen addiction.
What is Screen Time?
The total duration spent across various devices including TV, mobile phones, PCs, laptops, iPads or tablets, smartwatches, and others in a day.
Today, parents of children aged 9-17 report that their child spends an average of 3-6 hours online. Source: A study by Local Circle.
Screen Time Among Toddlers
65% of Parents resort to handing over their mobile phone or turning on the TV to entertain and feed their kids. Yes, it’s a momentary respite and the child is more agreeable. However, the resultant impact on children’s social-emotional behavior in the long run is astounding to say the least.
Nearly all 18-month-old toddlers (99.7%) are exposed to digital screens, with greater usage of smartphones (96%) than television viewing (89%).
In India it’s often said that “Kids learn from their parents”. One of them being glued to their phones and devices.
A recent study sheds light on why parents hand over their mobile phones to their children. The most common reasons reported were during feeding time (47%) and when the children were crying (42.4%)
Source: Journals of Family Medicine & Primary Care Another study reveals that 91.38% of parents, downloaded apps as a reward for their child's achievements or good behavior.
In a span of 2 years, app usage among children in the age group 0-8 has bumped up to 50% from just 16%.
Parents often express frustration saying “My Child doesn’t obey me”. But very few look deeper into the causes behind this, one of them could be excessive exposure to screens.
In a study involving Indian adolescents, three-quarters (76.4%) reported watching television during mealtime, with only 22.9% having established family rules for TV viewing.
- % of families setting screen time rules vs % of families not setting screen time rules
- Distribution of adolescents by use of Screen Based Media Devices
Source: National Library of Medicine
As the saying goes, "It takes Two To Tango." Both parents and children play a role in these habits.
Now, let's delve into the adverse effects of excessive screen time on your child.
Impact Of Excessive Screen Time On Your Child
Technology is both a boon and curse. Judicious use of screen based media is essential for children growing up. 53% of Indian parents have a positive attitude towards their children resorting to online resources for learning purposes.
Though the same piece of technology can be a cause of an array of distraction and impediment to mental and social development of a child.
Physical health: Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, disturbed sleep, mood problems , headache, eye strain.
Mental health: Delayed speech, hyperactivity, aggression, violence, poor concentration, anxiety, and
depression
Social: Reduced socialization and social anxiety
Scholastic: Decreased academic performance
A survey conducted by Northwestern University found that 31% of parents expressed concern about their child's media exposure, while 72% of parents in a study conducted in India said they were “not concerned "Source: Research Gate
The most effective way to curb mobile phone and other gadgets use is through intervention at the family level, where parents provide alternatives to mobile use and enforce home-based rules.
Expert advice on screen time rules
Babies below the age of 2 years
At such a young age exposure to screens are detrimental, so best to keep them away at all times.
- No screen based device access by parents
- Occasional video calls with relatives
- Inform the family members about the rules
- No screen exposure in daycare or by domestic help
Toddlers between the age of 2 - 5 years
At age 2, you could introduce digital devices such as computer and television to your kids. But keep in mind the following -
- Limit screen time to a maximum of 1 hour per day.
- Use of only one screen at a time.
- Strictly supervised screen time by the caregivers.
- At least 3 hours of physical activities of any intensity per day.
Kids between the age of 5 - 10 years
At this budding age, striking a balance between online and offline activities is crucial for healthy development. Habits developed at this stage of life lasts forever.
- Limit screen time to less than 2 hours per day
- This includes recreational screen time, educational and extra-curricular assignments
- The device used by child should belong to one of the parents, and child should not get an independent phone/tablet/laptop
- Encourage and reward appropriate use of screens
Teens between the age of 10 - 18 years
While restricting technology access may not be ideal, parental monitoring and setting reasonable limits are important.
- Balance screen time with other activities
- Educate adolescents about safe and healthy use of screen devices & Monitor media use
- Parents should update themselves regarding new technology, they should have passwords and ability to access all online accounts at all times.
Smartphone use for educational and recreational purposes should be allowed, but under parental supervision and for limited durations. Many apps offer robust parental control features to help manage screen time and content.
Should Screen Based Media Be Completely Restricted?
At the end of the day every piece of technology is an enabler. When screens based devices are used in moderation in a balanced and healthy way for a mix of entertainment and self improvement purposes, they have many benefits.
- Curious minds with access to new information at the click of a button.
- Community based learning & self-improvement
- Broadened perspective of the world view
- Diverse group of friends and network
What about social media?
Familiarize yourself with the social media platforms and video games, before allowing access to your child. Go over the permissible age, type of content and trend among the kids. Go ahead and take feedback from other parents and the change in their kids habits post using such games or platforms. Weigh in the pros & cons, then take a sound decision.
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Setting Healthy Digital Rules
Formulate “digital rules” for your kids, lay out your deal breaker points and also let your kid put forth his/her demands. Finally shake on the deal 🤝. Here are certain tips for parents -
- Do not use a screen for calming or distracting a child.
- Screens should be switched off 1 hour before bedtime, as blue light emitted from devices disturb sleep.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule
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- Restrict media, shows and games with violent content.
- Be a role model of healthy media use and formulate a family media usage rule.
- Your children will follow healthy use, if you too follow digital hygiene
- Strict NO screens rule during family meals and outings
This quote captures the essence of balancing a child's exposure to screen-based devices.
Anything in excess is poison.
Theodore Levitt
Moderation is the guiding principle to building healthy, sustainable habits around technology use for your children. Take a step forward by following the approach discussed above.
PS - Adults can follow the same approach.
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