Parents are being urged to revisit the screen time limits they impose on their kids when they head back to school. It says stressed parents may take a more relaxed attitude to screen time during the summer break, and this can prove seriously detrimental to their children once the new school term begins.
Additionally, experts say that the two hours a day limit previously recommended is now outdated, and parents should take a more sophisticated approach based on “the 5 Cs” …
CNET notes that parents can be more stressed when kids are at home all day, and that can lead to greater reliance on electronic devices to keep them occupied.
Parents who are stressed out are more likely to rely on screens and devices to keep their kids busy or calm — and less likely to enforce screen time limits. That’s the takeaway from a new screen time study from Florida International University’s Center for Children and Families.
Experts say this isn’t necessarily problematic.
Jason Nagata, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California: “A family media plan should be dynamic; it may reasonably look different during the school year than during summer or holidays, and on weekdays compared with weekends.”
But it can put your kids at risk unless changes are made once they return to school.
Jeff Temple, a professor and psychologist with UTHealth Houston, who was not affiliated with the FIU study, said: “The challenge comes when the structure of summer doesn’t transition back to the structure of the school year.”
Child development experts say that too much media use can lead to lower academic achievement, attention control and cognition.
If you’re not sure how much screen time is appropriate for children of different ages, there is help on hand from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Apple’s own Screen Time and other parental controls get a significant upgrade in iOS 27.
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