Screen time
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Anonymous
| How much screen time is too much? Any at all? |
Anonymous
| Probably should have included for 5 -7 yo |
Anonymous
|
Kids get a ton of screen time at school now. We pretty much don't do any at home anymore. They can veg with a book or a game. Maybe a movie or an episode of bluey on the big tv. But the mindless scrolling of YouTube or other videos has stopped and my ES kids are so much happier for it.
I had a ton of screens as a kid but it was on tv, had an end time and wasn't just unlimited constantly flipping back and forth ruining attention spans. |
Anonymous
| Pretty unlimited for tv but very protected for computer or video games. |
Anonymous
|
I try to focus on type of screen time and then during the week try not do it very much unless it’s a rainy day, but lax on the weekend. But type matters the most- like others have said we keep it to our main tv for our 4-7 yr old kids. Mostly on pbs kids shows they have to choose together (not each on their own screen). Very limited computer game time because they seem to get plenty at school now.
It’s fine to do some op, but the biggest thing is to try to have it be time that is actually focused on things that tell stories - not short clips that have no plot like YouTube kids or quick games with constant constant rewards and dopamine hits. Another thing is try to do ONE thing at a time - not watching tv plus playing a game on an iPad, that is really not great for the growing brain. Those quick games and short clips are fine here and there but don’t make them a regular thing because they really train the kids brain on dopamine hits and make regular things like reading a book, taking a walk, playing legos, feel less fun because they aren’t getting that same hit |
Anonymous
| At those ages we did 1 show in the late afternoon and then an hour on Sundays. |
Anonymous
Very similar here. We have 3 kids 6-13. They can watch a show or movie together but there is only so much content they all want to watch together. Tablets were limited to travel until about 10 or so. Apple watches at end of 6th grade. YouTube / web surfing only on family laptop in main living/dining area. |
Anonymous
| If their eyes glaze over when watching, if they tantrum when told no, then they're getting too much. |
Anonymous
|
We have a 5.5 year old. We do no screens as part of our regular routine. As someone else pointed out, they get plenty of screens at school (much to my chagrin) but I shrug at that and just don’t do screens at home. Exceptions:
If they’re sick, it’s hours of TV. Best way to get a kid to lay still and rest and not drive you crazy. Some limited screens on long train and plane rides. I aim for less than a third of the trip. About once every 2 months, we watch a movie together. Approximately 2-3 times a year, we are at our wits end for some reason (we’re sick, something happening at work, some family emergency, etc) and we’ll stick them in front of the TV for 30 mins. But this has literally happened less than 10 times in his whole life. There is absolutely no reason to make screens a part of your routine, and lots of reasons not to. |
Anonymous
| Nothing at that age. |
Anonymous
|
Depends what else they’re doing.
My tween had 4 hours this morning which sounds like a lot. But she also took the dog for a walk, read a book for 45 mins, worked on a summer math packet, made lunch for all of us then went to a pool party with friends and didn’t even take her phone with her. So I’m ok with it. It’s not an every day thing. |
Anonymous
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No passive dopamine screens - YouTube, video games etc.
The science around how this dumbs your kids brains is astounding. I can’t control screens at school so kid has no device. TV after school if homework is done is unlimited but that has to end for meal times and bed. When my child gets device it’s mine and he knows limited capacity, until we arrive at a destination, 20 minutes for exceptional behavior. So he looks at how long a video will be or a game and doesn’t waste his time. We were just at dinner w distant cousins- ages 6, 12 and 13. All kids were glued to screens and couldn’t talk to him. Been at Disney, watched kids glued to screens while Mickey walks by. My kid sees this and doesn’t want to be like that. All the organic food won’t make your kid smart, the devices won’t make your kid smart. But it does make for very “obedient” kids as long as you have a charge |
Anonymous
We do very low screen at home and the problem is my kid is the screen kid at a restaurant. Whenever there is tvs in a restaurant, he watches it even if it’s a random commercial or tennis. Screen kids can often ignore the tv. Or they might, if they weren’t on the iPad. |
Anonymous
| They don’t bring screens outside of the house but I’m not worried about playing video games or watching tv when they’re home. Some days nothing. Some days three hours or more. I can’t be that rigid. |
Anonymous
No tv for a 5-7 year old? Is this a real post? |