How to Manage Your Child's Screen Time in the Age of Covid-19
During stay-at-home orders, screens have become a valuable resource when it comes to keeping children entertained, socializing, and educated at home. However, many parents have understandable concerns about how to keep their kids safe and healthy given all of the additional screen time.
First: The Science
Are screens bad for kids? The answer depends on who you ask. Some studies have indicated babies and toddlers from ages 0-3 shouldn’t have any screen time, whereas others are less definitive. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to an hour daily for kids between the ages of 2-5. Other experts have expressed moderation is the key. In reality, there haven’t been enough longitudinal studies to understand the longterm effects of screen time usage in kids, so we may not have any definitive answers for another few years.
Whatever the science may be, this recent study from Unicef suggests that, globally, one child in three is an Internet user now, so it’s important we address issues of screen health and safety head-on.
This is the “ladder of online participation,” created by Sonia Livingstone et al, which shows the range of different ways kids can be engaged online.
Demonstrate and Reinforce the Good
One way parents can help kids develop healthy online habits is by demonstrating and reinforcing the ways in which the Internet can be used as a positive force instead of a negative one. This means showing kids how the Internet can be used as a means of:
Socialization & connection with family & friends
Civil political discourse & engagement
Playing games
Staying informed
Expressing an art form like photography, writing, acting or dancing
Searching for resources
The digital world can be as empowering as it can be dangerous, and since kids are eventually going to find their way online one way or another, it’s best they start seeing the tool for what it is: a resource, which can be wielded usefully and productively or negatively and unproductively.
Parents shouldn’t be hesitant to expose kids early-on to social media and other tools, showing them how to use them appropriately, how to change passwords often and protect their privacy.
Protect your (and your child’s) privacy
Kids are more susceptible than adults to identity theft via social media and online games. Parents can help their children from falling prey to scammers by helping them understand and adjust privacy settings on the apps they download. They should not be sharing their home address, school name, email or phone number on any apps or sites they visit. Can’t access those apps? One option is for parents to download the same apps as their kids and then make a deal with them: they adjust their privacy settings in exchange for allowing them to independently manage their social media apps. Their privacy is your privacy, so it’s important everyone is on the same page.
Device settings should also be set so there’s a swipe pattern, PIN number or password to access information to prevent strangers or other people with bad intentions from stealing their information.
Consider parental controls
Parental controls are more for the under 16 crowd since older teens won’t likely allow their parents to micromanage their Internet use at that level. But parents of kids below a certain age can either change settings on devices or purchase apps that actually monitor a child’s Internet activity (such as Norton Family Premier). The National Cyber Security Alliance has a long list of potential parental controls available here.
Get Involved
When it comes to helping students develop healthy relationships with screens, our main takeaway from the information we’ve found out there is