Screen time: Making it through the holidays
Every small change that promotes healthy levels of screen time is a step in the right direction for your child's health and development.
Unsurprisingly, children spend more time watching screens during the school holidays.
Parents and caregivers struggle to manage their children’s screen time during school holidays, especially when juggling work-from-home obligations.
According to global studies, children of all ages are getting more screen time than ever before. Concerns have been expressed about the impact of excessive screen time on children’s social development and mental health.
The World Health Organization and South African guidelines recommend no screen time for children under the age of two, one hour or less per day for children aged two to five years, and less than two hours (of sedentary, recreational screen time) for children over the age of five.
With the holidays in full swing, many parents and caregivers may be concerned about keeping screen time in the home at a healthy level. Here are some helpful hints and things to think about:
The importance of content
It is critical to monitor what children are watching or playing on screens to ensure that they are exposed to age-appropriate content that is beneficial to their overall development.
Encourage social activities instead of screen time
In terms of development, the advantages of in-person engagement outweigh those of screen time, particularly for younger children.
Interactions between friends are essential for cognitive, social, and emotional development. To achieve a healthier balance, try to match screen time with time spent together with other children in the form of play dates.
Implement rules
Children thrive with healthy boundaries and rules even if they don’t realise it. Simple screen time rules can make a significant difference in achieving healthy screen time levels and also have a positive impact on family relationships. Suggested rules include:
- No devices at mealtimes
- A weekly screen-free day or a day off from social media
- A family screen time curfew on certain days
- No screen time after bathtime
Unplug devices at night
Screen time has been shown to have a negative impact on sleep. The blue light emitted by screens signals to the brains that it is not time to sleep, thus keeping children awake. Ensure that all screens in your child’s bedroom are unplugged and switched off at night.
