Screen Time: Helping your teen find their balance
After the past two years of quarantine & social distancing, digital devices have witnessed much longer usage time, with stay-at-home orders moving social & academic life online and adding hours to screen time for most students. And like everything in life, too much of a good thing can have adverse consequences & a balanced approach is always best.
The Downside of Technology
While these devices proved helpful in a rather sudden and unfortunate situation, studies show that high-screen use can cause many issues for teens and tweens alike. Spending too much time looking at a screen can reduce curiosity and emotional regulation in adolescents. Digital screens can work as an escape from the challenges that they might encounter, offering a shortcut that might limit the opportunities to work through adversity. This directly affects their ability to develop healthy self-esteem or a growth mindset.
So how can you, as a parent, mitigate this issue?
Limiting Screen Time
While digital life is here to stay, it is necessary to create a healthy relationship with it rather than creating limitations around it. It is better to approach the issue with understanding, shifting your role as a parent from monitoring their screen time to mentoring them about a healthier attitude. Be a good role model to your teen, tell them about your own struggle with digital devices, and discuss with them your health concerns. Any change of routine you wish to introduce needs to be gradual and at their own pace.
Addressing the Root of the Issue
Some teens resort to screens because they are looking for escapism, or seeking emotional connection. The first step is to take an emotional inventory. Try to understand why your teen or tween is spending so much time on their digital devices. Encourage them to meet with friends face-to-face, and to express themselves, if not to you then to their peers. In-person communication allows them to take note of body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice which teaches them empathy and makes it easier for them to connect with others.
Setting Realistic Goals
Help your teen or tween set realistic goals for themselves. Banning screen time is not realistic, but you can guide them toward implementing incremental goals. For example, they could reduce their Instagram time by 20 minutes this week, then 30 minutes the next week. Make sure to join in on the challenge too, it can be a beneficial experience for all the family.
Help them curate their social media feed, muting negative content and introducing more engaging apps or pages. The process can take a few tries, so be patient.