From remote learning, to entertainment and games, to a video call with friends or the grandparents, the amount of screen time children have been getting during the stay-at-home order because of the COVID-19 pandemic has had many parents worried about just how far beyond doctor recommended screen time for children their families have been getting.
Keith Loud, MD, Physician-In-Chief at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock said the concern can be an added source of anxiety for many parents already dealing with various stresses in these unprecedented times.
“Screen time is a big bugaboo for those of us in pediatrics and most parents have heard of us trying to decrease screen time overall,” Loud announced recently in a video online at https://www.chadkids.org.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day and recommends screen time for children ages eight to 18 be limited to no more than one to two hours of screen time a day.
“The time kids spend watching TV, playing video games, surfing the web, is time they could be physically active,” the CDC website says.
In recent years, experts the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) among others have pointed to studies indicating that excessive media usage was associated with reduced sleep, increased obesity as well as language and social emotional delays.
However, in the midst of a pandemic, parents need to relax those screen time limitations, Loud said. They need to stop worrying about the time children are spending on a device for homeschooling or even when they need to use digital distractions to keep their children occupied while they attempt to work from home.
“Many kids are on screens for their school work and doing teleschool. Not to mention the social connectedness that children can have by seeing their friends via screens, particularly teens and tweens,” Loud said.
And it’s not the time to beat yourself up if your family decides to unwind by talking with friends via video chat or watching their favorite movie or TV show, adding even more screen time to the day’s tally.
“All of us are using screens to visit with our families and friends as well. And it’s OK to watch the appropriate YouTube videos or Netflix videos during this time,” he said.
Having said that, he added, families should take every opportunity to go outside and get some fresh air and exercise whenever possible.
“At the same time we live in a region where getting outside is valuable and easy to do,” and, he recommended balancing the screen time with getting outside and keeping active.
Recently, even the AAP are echoing a loosening of restrictions around screens, but they say, it is still a good idea to make the most of that screen time if possible.
“As families adjust to this situation, the AAP urges parents to preserve offline experiences, which help families connect emotionally, process difficult experiences, and heal,” according to a press release issued in March by the AAP, an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists . “While limits are still important, under these stressful circumstances, kids’ screen media use will likely increase. Parents can take steps to ensure that this media use is positive and helps the family and community.”
The AAP offered the following tips to help families do that (Full list can be found here) :
Make a plan. Talk with kids about what the day will look like, how you’ll handle stress and when breaks from tele work and school will be. Use those breaks to relax and connect with each other, the AAP recommends.
For preschoolers, good screen options, according to AAP, include PBS Kids (https://www.pbs.org/parents), which also sends out a daily newsletter with show and activity ideas.
Use social media to check on neighbors, friends and loved ones. The AAP also suggests using social media to find out if there are ways to help students who need meals or internet access for at-home learning.
Use media to make a connection: Social distancing can be lonely. When kids start to miss friends and family, video chats can be a help to stay in touch.
Be selective about what children watch. The AAP recommends using trusted sources to find positive content, such as Common Sense Media, which has been compiling ideas for families hunkering down. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/what-to-watch-read-and-play-while-your-kids-are-stuck-indoors
Get some screen time together. According to the AAP, “This is a great opportunity to monitor what your older children are seeing online and follow what your children are learning. Even watching a family movie together can help everyone relax while you appreciate the storytelling and meaning that movies can bring.”
Bring your kid to remote work. This is a chance for parents to show kids “a part of their world.” “Encouraging imaginative ‘work’ play may be a way to apply ‘take your child to work day’ without ever leaving home!” according to the AAP.
Occupying the kids doesn’t always require a screen. Podcasts and audiobooks are great ways to keep children’s minds engaged while parents get things done, according to the AAP.
During offline time, try to find activities that encourage relaxation and communication. This could include taking walks outside, playing board games, reading together and having family dance parties. “Know which activities spark your children’s interest (kicking the ball around? baking?) and make time for them,” AAP said.
Create the space for family members to talk about their worries.
Parents also need to take note of their own technology use and guard against getting “too sucked into news or social media feeds [to the point that] it’s stressing you out.” Children do take notice. “Take a break to protect your own mental health too.”
Limits are still important. “Try to stick to routines. Make sure technology use does not take the place of sleep, physical activity, reading, reflective downtime, or family connection.”
Finally, Loud from CHAD, emphasized parents should, “Never worry alone,” and said parents can learn more online at www.CHADkids.org.
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