SCREEN TIME & YOUR CHILD

The following information is to be used as a guide to and at the discretion of the end-user and should not replace a doctor’s opinion.

OVERVIEW

A growing issue in children’s health around the world is too much screen time. Between smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, and computers, South African children spend a lot of time staring at a screen! Our teens spend an average of 8½ hours on screens a day, while our children between the ages of 8 and 12 spend 5½ hours a day. This heavy reliance on screen media has raised serious concerns about the harm this is doing to their cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth.

Although screens have a role to play in entertaining, teaching, and keeping children occupied, too much use is harmful. It has become a significant challenge for parents to maintain a healthy balance between managing screen time and encouraging real-time experiences for their children. This is made even more difficult by the fact that many adults struggle to maintain this balance for themselves! According to the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, South Africans spend almost three-fifths (58.2%) of their day in front of a screen — the most of any nation. Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives, and there’s just no way around it.

SCREEN TIME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDREN

Sedentary behaviour by children has been identified as a risk factor in global mortality and has contributed to the rise in obesity. The WHO has warned that children should spend more time engaged in physical activity and getting enough sleep, or they risk developmental delays and learning difficulties. Too much screen time for babies and toddlers has also been shown to shorten attention spans and lower empathy.

HOW TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME CAN AFFECT YOUR CHILD

1. Obesity:

the more time your child spends in front of a screen, the greater their risk of becoming overweight. This risk is increased if they have a screen in their bedrooms. Not only are they less physically active; they also tend to overeat in front of screens. Children are also targeted by junk food ads.

2. Irregular sleep:

the more children are exposed to screens, especially near bedtime, the more likely they are to have trouble falling asleep. Their quality of sleep is also affected, and sleep loss leads to fatigue and increased snacking.

3. Mental health issues:

Depression, anxiety and suicide rates among children and adolescents have been on the rise over the last 10 years, which coincides with the skyrocketing use of blue light-emitting screens. High levels of blue light exposure affect mental health in children by messing with the body’s natural rhythms and stimulating the brain. Blue light exposure at night has a significant negative impact on children’s sleeping habits, and poor sleep is associated with changes in mood.

4. Behavioural problems:

Studies have shown that junior school children who spend more than two hours a day watching screens are more likely to have emotional, social and attention problems. Screen time inhibits young children’s ability to read faces and learn social skills, two key factors needed to develop empathy. Face-to-face interactions are the only way young children learn to understand non-verbal cues and interpret them.

5. Impaired academic performance:

Studies show screen time negatively impacts the way the brain works, shortens attention spans, contributes to loneliness, depression and anxiety, and lowers academic success in children.

6. Eye health:

The rate of nearsightedness in children has increased dramatically in the past 30 years. Constantly looking at screens means children’s eyes stay focused close-up for long periods, and they can find it difficult to adjust to distance vision later. Our eyes work extra hard when we use digital devices, and prolonged periods of time staring at a screen that may be too big, too bright, or too close to our eyes can cause eye fatigue. Symptoms of eye fatigue, or eye strain, include dry and itchy eyes, blurred vision, headaches, or increased sensitivity to light.

7. Violence:

Too much exposure to violence through media can desensitise children to violence. As a result, children might learn to accept violent behaviour as a normal way to solve problems.

8. Risky behaviours:

Media can influence how children and teens feel, learn, think and behave. Social media often shows risky behaviours like substance use, pornography, self-injury, and eating disorders. Exposure through media to these behaviours is linked to children engaging in these behaviours earlier. Sex offenders also use social networking, chat rooms, e-mail and online games to contact and exploit children.

9. Less time for play:

Excessive screen time eats into time for active and creative play – both essential for the proper, healthy development of your child.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING WHAT YOUR CHILD WATCHES

As well as limiting the amount of time spent in front of a screen, you should also control what it is they are watching. Unmonitored screen time can expose them to:

Violence and risk-taking behaviours
Videos of stunts or challenges that may inspire unsafe behaviour
Sexual content
Negative stereotypes
Substance use
Cyberbullies and predators
Advertising aimed at your child
Misleading or inaccurate information

IS SCREEN TIME ALL BAD?

As with most things, digital technology offers us opportunities as well as risks. Smartphones, tablets, and computers can be used to spark creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Several experts believe that the type of screen time matters more than the amount. Active engagement with technology is better for children than passive watching, with social, interactive, and educational being the most positive.

HOW CAN I MANAGE SCREEN TIME WITH MY CHILD?

1. Encourage physical activities

Physical activity is critical for your child’s development and necessary for the healthy growth of their muscles and bones, as well as feeding their brain with oxygen and healthy endorphins.

2. Establish screen-free times and zones

Bedrooms should be screen-free zones, especially at bedtime. Establishing tech-free times during meals promotes family bonding and encourages conversation and mindfulness while eating. Encourage activities outdoors without a phone in their pocket that will continually draw them to look at it.

All screens should be turned off 30-60 minutes before bedtime – this will improve sleep.

3. Use parental control software

Establish strict parental controls for protecting your child’s online privacy. Parental controls and monitoring tools help restrict access to inappropriate content, protecting your child from being exposed to explicit and unsuitable content at a young age.

There are multiple parental control apps that you can choose from, and many companies that offer services to help you. For example, Google has Family Link, which helps families create healthy and positive digital habits. They can better understand how their child spends time on their device, share their location, and manage privacy settings.

There are also apps available that control the length of time your child can use a device.

4. Teach digital literacy

Educate your child about online safety, privacy, and the potential risks of sharing personal and confidential information online. Foster critical thinking skills in your child so that they can evaluate the reliability and credibility of information that gets shared online.

Create an open and non-judgmental space for your child so they can come to you if they have any concerns about the online world. Encourage them to come to you immediately if they encounter anything that makes them uncomfortable online or have concerns regarding any online content they saw.

5. Set healthy screen time limits

Your child is never too young for a screen time plan. Screen time limits are essential for your child’s wellbeing and development. Develop these guidelines with your children and involve them in the decision-making process. Kids of all ages should be regularly guided towards screen-free activities for a balanced life.

6. Model healthy screen habits

Children follow by example – they are more likely to do what you do rather than what you say! Demonstrating responsible screen time usage sets a strong example. Be mindful of your screen time and teach your child that their devices are practical tools for education, entertainment, and learning – but should be used in moderation. It may help to discuss the negative effects of too much screen time with your child.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD IS ADDICTED TO SCREENS?

Younger children express their addiction through temper tantrums when you switch off / take away their device. Older children tend to display the following behaviours:

They feel uneasy or grumpy when they can’t use their device
They spend hours on their device without taking any breaks
They ignore other fun activities they used to enjoy, like going outside or reading a book
They have trouble sleeping, or falling asleep, because their screen time is too close to their bedtime
They complain of eye, lower back and neck strain
They struggle with weight gain or obesity because they’re inactive
They have difficulty with real-life, face-to-face social interactions

TAKE AWAY

Parenting in the digital age is a mix of benefits and downsides with many nuances. While technology offers convenience, like entertainment and other educational tools, it also provides challenges when it comes to ensuring that children can have a normal childhood, not filled with technology and an overabundance of screens.

A healthy balance and moderation are all you need. Every small change to promote healthy levels of screen time is a step in the right direction for the health, wellbeing and development of your child.

SCREEN TIME & YOUR CHILD

SCREEN TIME & YOUR CHILD

The following information is to be used as a guide to and at the discretion of the end-user and should not replace a doctor’s opinion.

OVERVIEW

SCREEN TIME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDREN

HOW TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME CAN AFFECT YOUR CHILD

THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING WHAT YOUR CHILD WATCHES

IS SCREEN TIME ALL BAD?

HOW CAN I MANAGE SCREEN TIME WITH MY CHILD?

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD IS ADDICTED TO SCREENS?

TAKE AWAY

FURTHER READING