SHOULD WE SET SCREEN-TIME BOUNDARIES?

As innovations in technology have progressed, digital devices have become a ubiquitous part of modern life.

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Technology has undoubtedly made our lives easier but there's another, more sinister, side to the coin. Research has shown that excessive screen time can interfere with everything from sleep to creativity and is linked to increased symptoms of depression.

In a recent study conducted by Canadian researchers, it was found that children who spent more than one hour daily on screen time were more likely to be vulnerable in all five developmental health domains: physical health and well-being; social competence; emotional maturity, language and cognitive development; and communication skills, compared to children reporting up to one hour of screen time per day.

Common Sense Media, a US-based NPO that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology that children are exposed to, found that teens spend an average of seven hours and 22 minutes on screens every day – and that excludes doing schoolwork on a computer. This gives a whole new meaning to the concept of leaving kids 'to their own devices'.

Consider your own screen-time habits
Before you start putting limits on your kids' screen time, consider how much exposure you and the adults in your household have to screens. Do you find yourself spending every free moment doomscrolling on your phone? Is your cell phone the last thing you're exposed to before you go to sleep?

The blue light emitted from screens is known to suppress the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that is important for regulating our sleep-wake cycles, which is why you find it harder to 'switch off' at night. 

Limit digital babysitting
With work and household obligations taking up so much of our time everyday, it's impossible for us to entertain our children 24/7. The reality is that almost all parents depend on technology to 'babysit' their kids. Boredom and temper tantrums can often be soothed with the bribe of some screen time, offering frazzled parents a slight reprieve. In small doses, digital devices can be great for keeping kids stimulated but avoid using them as babysitters daily.

Enforce daily device-free times
If you notice your kids spending an inordinate amount of time glued to a screen, it's time to introduce the concept of 'screen-free times'. Be honest and realistic with yourself about when your child could avoid screens during the day. A good place to start is with the first hour after school and the hour before bed. It goes without saying that smartphones and tablets should not be allowed at the dinner table.

Don't disregard the actual content they're consuming
The negative effects of screens aside, the actual content your kids are exposed to is also something you should be monitoring. In this day and age, it is important for your child to be contactable at all times, but you may be hesitant to give them access to a device. Fortunately, there are ways you can control what they have access to.

Google Family Link, available on iOS and Android, allows you to set timers for screen time and age restrictions for content. You can also link their phone to yours and use it as a connection through which you can ring their device or know their location (granted they keep their device on them).