At most, a small amount of high-quality (educational) programing
Children between the ages of 2-5 years:
Maximum of one hour screen time per weekday.
Maximum three hours of screentime on the weekends.
Parents are highly encouraged to watch programing together with children.
Children between the ages of 6-9 years:
Keep devices limited to family use, not personal.
Take a proactive approach in teaching children about online dangers.
Maximum of 90 minutes total screen time per day.
No screens in the bedroom.
Children between the ages of 10-12 years:
Resist the peer pressure to allow social media and personal devices with full internet access.
Maximum of 90 minutes total screen time per day.
No screens in the bedroom.
Children between the ages of 13-17 years:
To support each age with different levels of tech access and support, parents of teens should:
Use a slow, phased process with personal devices and smartphones, and delay social media.
Reinforce positive choices and use poor ones as an opportunity to teach and connect.
Create boundaries that work for YOUR teen. Those might look different from their friends’, and that’s okay!
Maximum of 90 minutes total screen time per day.
No screens in the bedroom.
Household Environment Recommendations:
Set a good example: Children mirror their parents’ media use. when parents’ use of technological devices interferes with or interrupts everyday family relations and interaction, this is known as technoference, and it can influence face-to-face conversations, mealtimes, and leisurely time together. Children will approach a parent, but when they see the parent engaged with a device, they will disengage and discontinue the attempted interaction. This can happen frequently and without the parent even being aware. Developmental and behavioral issues may arise in children when parental/caregiver use of media interferes with parent-child interactions. This will likely lead to negative attention-seeking behavior, negative parent-child interactions, and a negative parent-child relationship. Children need attention, and they will get it. If they’re not getting positive attention from caregivers, they will get attention in other ways. If you are speaking to your toddler, put your phone down to allow for eye contact and to listen fully. With older children, make sure THEY have ended the conversation before resuming your screen interactions.
Keep the TV off as your child plays and during homework time: Studies have shown that parents and caregivers speak fewer words when the TV is on, even in the background.
Provide “old-fashioned” toys: Blocks, balls, cars, dolls, puzzles, and even household items (e.g., boxes, pots/ pans) are best. Toys without batteries allow for imaginative, creative, and problem-solving play. Also, loving adults are the best “toys!”
Talk to your childcare provider about screen time: Inform them of your preferences.
Avoid using screens as a pacifier, a babysitter, to stop tantrums, or for reward or punishment: Screen time should be the parents’ decision and be a consistent set time within the household, not dependent on how your child behaves. This is different from expectations for properly using technology; i.e., if it can’t be used according to parent expectations and age appropriateness then it can’t be used.
Learn about and use parental controls.
Turn off screens during meals and outings.
Turn off screens 30-60 minutes before bedtime and remove screens from bedrooms.
Sources:
Mary Finken, SLP; American Academy of Pediatrics; World Health Organization; betterscreentime.com