Screens and technology have become household commodities. Whether you like it or not, screens are going to be a large part of your child’s future- all we can do is build healthy habits. Although giving your child free-reign over a tablet/phone may be a great way to keep them occupied, unsupervised and excessive screen time can be detrimental.
Here are some screen time guidelines from the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP)
If your child is younger than 18 months
Avoid all screen time except for video-calling if necessary.
If your child is between 18 and 24 months
If you decide to introduce digital media, choose high-quality, educational programming while actively engaging with them to make sure that they are understanding.
If your child is between 2 to 5 years old
Similarly, limit screen time to high-quality educational programs and do not exceed one hour a day. Also, you should still be engaging with your child while they are watching and relate what they see to the real world. Dr. Jennifer F. Cross, developmental and behavioral paediatrics expert, recommends shows where characters model good social skills such as Sesame Street or Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
If your child is 6 years or older
Although there is no magical time limit, it is important for parents to establish and maintain a daily limit on time spent on social media so that their child gets adequate sleep, physical activity, and nutrition. It is also helpful to designate screen free times (family dinner) and locations (bedroom) to form healthy habits.
Sources
https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-care/public-health/screen-time-for-children-under-5?sso=y
https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/about-us/professional-support-sites/screen-time/screen-time-guidelines/#
https://healthmatters.nyp.org/what-does-too-much-screen-time-do-to-childrens-brains/
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