Excessive screen time has always been a major concern for children. With the turn of events this year, the amount of screen time has increased due to the need to maintain safety through social distancing and quarantining. This increase in technology use has replaced most face to face interactions and experiences, that otherwise might not require much, if any, technological use. Although, innovative and creative, screen time for children must continuously be taken into consideration. Below, The Academy of Pediatrics provides a chart to which parents can use as a guide with suggested screen time use for young to teenage children.
Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare suggests tips on How to Handle Screen Time During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
These tips include the following:
•One media free meal a day
•Two hours of screen free time before bed
•Measure screen use using an online tool such as found on the Center on Media and Child Health.
Anya Kamenetz with the New York Times provides a surreal reflection on how perspectives surrounding screen time have adjusted post Covid-19. Rather than focusing on the screen, the focus should be on your child’s feelings.
Read more: I Was a Screen Time Expert Until Covid Happened
The above chart provided by The American Academy of Pediatrics shows a comparison between recommended screen time use and reality.
Although the current reality is causing major increases in screen time, parents/caregivers have the ability to create healthy screen time habits with their child.
The Preschoolers Connect 