The use of screens among teens is a common concern plaguing many parents, especially during the last two years during the pandemic. With lockdowns, quarantines, remote learning, and general safety, the amount of time spent indoors has increased exponentially and the use of screens has gone up as well. In the United States, a study published by JAMA Pediatrics in November 2021 found that the amount of time spent on screens (not including remote learning) doubled from 3.8 hours per day to 7.7 hours per day during the pandemic.
At school, parents report their concerns about their children’s increased screen time. They are seeing their children spend large amounts of screen time gaming, scrolling through videos on TikTok and YouTube, and/or binging on Netflix. Parents and their children are in constant battle mode over screens and parents are at their wits’ end. Instead of spending time fighting over the amount of screen time, there are conversations parents must have with their children to help build positive relationships with screens.
In a recent CommonSense Media article, there are four different conversations highlighted for parents to have with their older kids and teens. Read here for more information: 4 Conversations to Have with Older Kids and Teens About Their Screen Time Habits
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