4 tips to manage your child's screen time

It is the responsibility of parents to get control of the amount of time their kids spend on screens – especially at a young age, argues an early education expert and author. 

Physicians, teachers and psychologists generally agree that spending inordinate amounts of time immersed in computers, smartphones or social media can negatively impact a child's developing mind and body, says Christine Kyriakakos Martin, who is the founder and owner of Sunshine Preschool in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, as well as an author on effective parenting. 

Specially, she continued, studies on screen time have found links between excessive screen time and later development milestones, while other studies have associated digital overuse with teen depression.

"It's the responsibility of the parents to get control of this and guide their children, from a young age, on the positives and negatives of screen time," she argued. 

"Parents can often think it's acceptable for a young child to spend a couple hours with an iPad, but the type of education the iPad game is providing isn't always the type of learning most needed at that stage."

Ms Martin identified four ways through which parents can manage screen time and decrease a child's risk for screen-related health or developmental problems:

Distinguish screen time from play time

Play is a fundamental learning tool for young children, but parents, Ms Martin mused, should not think of screens as toys for play time. 

"When screen time is limited and separated from other types of play, parents show their children the importance of setting boundaries, using their imaginations, and being active."

Get involved

Parents who engage with their children about on-screen activities can help them increase their communication skills and teach them how to navigate digital media, she said. 

"Parents can talk with their children about the videos they watch and games they play like they would discuss characters and plotlines in a book," she posited. 

"When there is parental engagement like this, a child's vocabulary and literacy skills develop, and family communication gets stronger." 

Make mealtimes screen-free

"Eliminate screens from the meal table, including when you're out at a restaurant," Ms Martin noted.

"While it can be tempting to pack the iPads to have some adult conversation while you're out to eat, doing this doesn't teach your children about manners, properly engaging in conversation, or being mindful of other patrons."

Set a good example

It will be harder for a child to disengage from screens, she warned, if his or her parents are consistently looking down at their own phones or tablets. 

"Remember, your children learn from your example. If they see you spending a lot of time with your face in front of a screen, they'll also want to use technology at the same time. Try your best to save your time on social media for your lunch break, during nap time, or after your children have gone to bed."

"Learning how to use screens, verbally communicate or socially interact will have a positive impact on language skills, relationships and overall health," she added. 

"Spending time with their parents and learning through play are what young children need and want."