Texas Psychologist Says Parents Fail When It Comes To Children’s Screen Time

With today's younger generations being glued to their screens, many seek answers on how to encourage healthy use of cell phones, computers, and TVs. One of these answer-seekers is Texas A&M researcher and psychologist, Dr. David Kahn.

Dr. Kahn highlighted five tips that all parents should follow when it comes to keeping children outside of the danger zone of unhealthy screen time. Do you think you can follow each step? Let's find out.

Step 1: Take Charge

Many parents these days often treat digital devices as glorified baby sitters, letting their kids spend as much time on them as they'd like. It's crucial that you remain the authority in your home. If you say no screen time before bed, then that should be routine rather than a suggestion.

Step 2: Talk Face-to-Face

Dr. Kahn also stressed the importance of maintaining social interactions with the family. Take some time every once in a while to go for walks, visit parks, take mini-vacations, or anything that gets your kids out of the house and in society.

Sports and extracurricular activities are excellent options as well to help your children build their social networks.

Step 3: Limit Screen Time

As someone who grew up during the transition to the 21st century, limiting screen time was a staple in our house whether it was watching TV or playing on the computer.

Even if it's just limiting the amount of time on your child's devices to two hours a day, it's important to place these limitations while they are young.

If you can get them to play outside or find them a hobby that they can do with their hands, that's the best way to pass the time rather than staring at a screen that's five inches from their faces.

Step 4: Create Screen-Free Zones

Places like the dining room or kitchen can be marked as zones where cell phones or other electronic devices are not allowed. This way your children won't be distracted during dinner and will actually talk to the family after school and away from their rooms.

Step 5: No Smartphones Until 16 Years Old

This step might be one of the hardest to follow, but waiting to give your child a smartphone until they are 16 can do wonders for their mental wellbeing. This doesn't mean that they can't have a phone at all beforehand, Dr. Kahn is just suggesting that you wait to get them a smartphone with internet capabilities until they are older.

Dr. Kahn mentioned the concept of gradual independence. This is where parents slowly ease back on their involvement in their child's growth as they journey through their teenage years.

The goal is never to distance yourself from your children, but to allow them to take more responsibility for their behavior through independence without any hovering parents to worry about.

The Digital Age isn't Bad, It Just Needs Some Guidance

Growing up with screens isn't inherently a bad thing. The problem is when children, and even some adults, grow to depend on them and spend all day staring at their electronic devices.

Being normal humans who interact with each other is still as important as ever for mental growth and having a healthy mindset as children grow into young adults. Never forget that!