I am like most of you parents out there: My kids have tablets and it is so easy to just let them zone out with their headphones on and give me some " Me " time. But is it healthy? I took some time to research "healthy" tablet times.
Concerns:
- Pay attention to how your kids act during and after watching TV, playing video games, or hanging out online. If they're using high-quality, age-appropriate media; their behavior is positive; and their screen-time activities are balanced with plenty of healthy screen-free ones, there's no need to worry.
- If you're concerned about heavy media use, consider creating a schedule that works for your family. This can include weekly screen-time limits, limits on the kinds of screens kids can use, and guidelines on the types of activities they can do or programs they can watch. Make sure to get your kids' input so the plan teaches media literacy and self-regulation, and use this as an opportunity to discover what they like watching, introduce new shows and apps for them to try, or schedule a family movie night.
Our Kids emotional health is important if you see any changes then you need to adjust what they are consuming. The official guidelines say no more than 1 hour a day and I know during the summer that can be really. I will strive for 1 hour - 45 minutes per day parts and break up the screen time with activities, chores, and academic work.
The AAP 's guidelines, released in October 2016, allow for some screen time for children younger than 2 and emphasize parental involvement for all kids. In a nutshell:
- Avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting for children younger than 18 months.
- If you choose to introduce media to children 18-24 months,find high-quality programmingand co-view and co-play.
- Limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs for children age 2 to 5 years.
- Create a family media plan with consistent rules and enforce them for older kids.