Daily Tips for Families

Today's Tip for Families

12-01-2022

Monitor and Manage Screen Activities

There are positives and negatives to screen media for children. But one thing's for sure, today's children spend an increasing amount of time watching screens.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that families develop a screen use plan for their children. Your plan should take your child's development into account and provide consistent rules about media use. It should also ensure that your child's recreational screen time is balanced with plenty of time for sleep, exercise, reading and screen-free recreation.

Take time today to evaluate digital media use in your home. Is your child spending too much time watching TV and videos, playing digital games, surfing the web or texting? Is it affecting your student's success in school? If so, it's time to set some limits.

To plan appropriate media use:

Pay close attention to how your family uses digital media. Where are the TVs and other devices located? How many hours does your child spend in front of a screen when not engaged in schoolwork?
Learn more. New apps and games come out all the time. Find out what your child is playing. Ask other parents what they recommend.
Make a plan. Keep digital devices out of your child's bedroom. Put them where you can see them and be aware of what your child is seeing. Figure out how much recreational screen time you will allow your child, and for what activities. Then establish a screen-use schedule for your family and stick to it. Establish screen-free times and zones in your home—during study time and at the table during meals, for example. In addition, set a digital curfew one hour before bedtime. To use the AAP's media plan calculator, go to www.healthychildren.org/English/media.
Share recreational screen activities. When your child watches TV or videos, or plays with games or apps, join in. Interact with your child. Talk about what you are seeing and doing.
Offer choices. Suggest productive activities for your child when devices are turned off, such as reading, doing puzzles, playing an active game and talking with family.

Brought to you by:

West Point Consolidated School District