The 4 questions that reveal if your kid has too much screen time
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Eloise Hill
Content writerWith no official guidelines in place, it can be difficult for parents to determine just how much screen time is TOO much ...
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As busy parents, we all know how easy it is to plonk the kids in front of the iPad or TV when we've got things to do or just need a little bit of peace and quiet.
Especially with the long Easter weekend stretching out in front of us!
Yet with various reports saying screen time can impact everything from your child's sleep to their developing imaginations, you'll want to know how much screen time is too much.
However, that's not as easy to figure out as you'd expect ... especially as there are no official guidelines in place, not to mention the conflicting advice from experts.
How much screen time should your child have?
According to researchers in the US and Canada, you should keep kids away from screens until they are at least 18-months-old. After this, you should put strict age-related limits on your devices.
On the other hand, experts at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPH) say they are 'unable to recommend a cut-off for children’s screen time' due to the existing research being 'weak'.
So what can you do to make sure your child isn't spending too much time on devices?
The screen time questions to ask your family
The RCPCH suggests parents use these four questions to determine how much screen time their kids should have:
1. Is the screen time in your house controlled?
2. Does your child's screen use interfere with what your family wants to do?
3. Does your child's screen use interfere with their sleep?
4. Can you control your child's snacking during screen time?
As long as you're discussing the boundaries with your kids and keeping it an open conversation, this sounds pretty reasonable to us!
How can I reduce my kid's screen time?
If the questions above have got you thinking about cutting back on screen time, there are a few helpful things you can do including:
Screen free zones ... set your house rules which could include no screens in bedrooms or while you're eating
No screens before bed ... have a cut-off point when your children need to switch off any devices. This should be at least an hour before bed so it doesn't disrupt their sleep.
Use time limits ... these are easy to set up on your devices and mean no more arguments about when they need to be turned off.
Here are more helpful tips for cutting down on the amount of screen time your child has.
For more expert advice, Internet Matters CEO Carolyn Bunting discusses everything screen related in this special episode of our Sweat, Snot & Tears podcast.
Worried about your kids on TikTok? Here are the settings you need to change right now ... Or, if you're not sure how to keep your children safe on social media, this guide should help.
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