Screen Time and Kids

 February Newsletter from the Elementary School Counseling Department

Have you ever wondered, “Are my kids getting too much screen time?” Here’s an article by Dr. Alexis Halpern, an assistant attending physician at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, with tips for screen time usage. For the entire article, see What Does Too Much Screen Time Do to Children’s Brains?

For more on parenting topics such as this, please save the date for our three Parent Workshops led by elementary school counselors! See your school newsletter or sign up here (Hudson School District Elementary Parent Workshops Opportunities). 

What tips do you have for parents to limit screen time for kids?

1. Co-watch whenever possible. If children are going to have screen time, the best thing you can do is to watch the show or game with them to help them understand what they’re seeing. Comment on things you notice, ask questions about what is happening, if someone on a show is singing a song, sing along with your child. Engage with them and repeat concepts after the show is over so they’re more likely to retain that information.

2. Choose media wisely. Look to organizations like Common Sense Media for reviews about age-appropriate apps, games, and programs to guide you in making the best choices for your children.

3. Keep bedtime, mealtime, and family time screen-free. Don’t use screens in the car except for long trips, and consider setting a curfew or an agreed-upon time when your family shuts off all screens. Balancing online and offline time is extremely important.

4. Limit your own phone use. Kids will do what they see their parents doing. At a young age, their parent(s) is the most important person in their life, so they will model whatever behavior they are seeing. If they see that you’re behind a screen all day every day, then they’ll see that it’s acceptable and will want to do the same.

5. Emphasize the big three: sleep, healthy nutrition, and exercise. All three are essential to optimal brain growth and development and health and wellness for children and adults alike. And excessive screen time can impact all three. Children who spend more time in front of screens have been shown to eat more fast food and less fruits and vegetables and get less sleep and exercise. Therefore, it is very important to incorporate healthy lifestyle choices as part of the daily routine, as well as limiting screen time.