Parents, are you guilty of handing over your phone or tablet to your children to have five minutes of peace? Letting your fussy child watch their favourite shows or play games on a tablet is an easy fix for boredom and tantrums, but too much screen time can be detrimental to your child’s development. The key is to know how you encourage purposeful screen time at home. Read on to learn the various types of screen time and how you can turn them into healthy screen time habits for life!
The Four Types Of Screen Time
We use screens for different purposes and in many ways. These can be categorised into four main types:
1. Active screen time
This is when you are physically or cognitively engaging with what is on a screen. Some examples include typing an essay for homework, following an exercise video on YouTube, or texting friends.
2. Passive screen time
When you use your phone to scroll your social media feed or watch your favourite drama shows, you are viewing a screen without interacting or engaging with the device. This is passive screen time.
3. Background screen time
Do you often have the TV on in the background, or have your phone play music while you do something else? Background screen time refers to having a screen on, but you’re not actively viewing it.
4. Recreational screen time
This screen time describes screen use that’s not related to work or school, such as watching movies, playing games, or browsing social media. This can be active or passive screen time.
Making Screen Time Purposeful
With that said, not all screen time is bad. Screen time can be beneficial for your little ones when you can identify which screen type your child is indulging in and, in turn, transform it into active screen time and meaningful moments.
Here are some quick screen time tips you can implement in your family now:
Learn To Utilise Parental Controls
Do not give your child mobile devices with unrestricted access to the internet and applications. This will expose them to harmful content that will negatively affect their mental and socio-cognitive development. Children below 12 years old are not allowed on most major social media websites as well.
Always tap into parental control settings and check content ratings to ensure your children access age-appropriate content and applications. If you are using a smart device, you can also utilise the Screen Time function in Settings to track your child’s screen use.
Co-viewing
Beyond that, you can sit with your child and enjoy TV programmes, movies and shows together. Ask them questions like “What’s happening here?”, “Why do you think he did that?”, “What would you do differently?”.
This way, passive screen time turns into active screen time as your child gets to describe, reflect and understand with content on-screen, keeping them actively engaged.
Set Screen-free Zones And Boundaries
Set areas within your home where screens and devices are not allowed. This ensures you can better keep track of your child’s screen time and enforce screen-free habits. This method also ensures you can balance passive and background screen time more effectively.
For starters, avoid screens during meals or having the TV on in the background as these can be distracting during face-to-face interactions. Avoid screens one hour before bedtime and after waking up, as this will disrupt the quality of your child’s sleep. Will your kids complain about it being boring? Maybe, but boredom can be a good thing for your child!
Be Their Role Model
Children watch their parents very closely. So, if you want your child to have good screen time habits, you should be mindful of your screen use too!
Pause the next episode of your K-Drama and place your phone away during dinner. Invite your kids to join in the next time you follow along a YouTube exercise video. If you’re planning your next family holiday, why not ask your kids to help you research places of interest too? That way, screen time can also be a way for you to build family bonds with each other.
Still Have Questions?
To get a better sense of how much screen time your child should be getting, you can use Health Hub’s Screen Use Buddy to gauge if they are getting a healthy amount of screen time for their age, and what that means to their development.
You may also check out the Parent’s Guide to Digital Wellness, which goes into detail on screen use for children, categorised by age group. Parents can learn more about how excessive screen time can be detrimental to young children, and what to do if managing screen time gets difficult.
Screen time is here to stay, but what makes the difference is how parents make conscious choices to ensure your kids are getting the most out of their screen time. Prioritise quality. Know what they’re watching and why. Be present when it matters. This way, screen time is not only a waste of time, but rather a chance to grow smarter and grow closer!
This article is brought to you by Families for Life and is first published here.
