When we all grew up, screens were never really a thing we gravitated to as children and teenagers. We were out of the house till God knew when and with whom. We were never that interested, especially during the summer months. You couldn’t pay me enough to stay inside during the summer days. As things have changed and the digital world has taken everyone by storm, including our children and teens, we are left with the question of how to monitor their screen time.
Modern-day parenting and rules have changed slightly since we were children. Social media is a big part of kids’ lives now. However, the negative impacts of social media and long amounts of screentime have negative effects on the physical and mental health of everyone.This prompts parents to get behind this issue as soon as possible, stopping these potential bad habits in their tracks.
While this might be a hard thing to navigate, no one wants to be the overbearing, negative parent who is trying to control everything. This can push our teens in the wrong direction and create friction in the relationship. Therefore, we’ve come up with a guide on how you can safely monitor your teen’s screen time.
What are The Statistics?
According to research from Ofcom:
- 97% of 16-17-year-olds watch videos across a range of platforms.
- 98% of teens use their phones to message and/or video call their friends and family.
- 93% of 12-15-year-olds use social media apps or websites regularly.
- 87% of 16-17-year-olds use Instagram and TikTok.
As you can see, there are a large number, if not all, who use social media and their phones one way or another. This has become so common that they’ve all got their own devices compared to when we were kids. As a teen, I had a flip phone with enough credit to call my mom to update her on my whereabouts.
Why is Monitoring Teen’s Screentime Important?
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has conducted some research and found that young people’s views on screen time use are negative. 88% of them said that it has harmed their sleep, 41% said it has affected the fun they have and 35% said it has contributed to their poor mental health.
On a typical day, young people spend roughly 2.5 hours on the computer, 3 hours on their phone and 2 hours watching TV.
How Can Excessive Screentime Affect Your Teen?
There are a lot of consequences that can go hand-in-hand with excessive use of phones, some of which you might not be aware of. Here are some of the ones that stand out the most:
Dry Eyes and Digital Eyestain
Dry eye symptoms are associated with high amounts of screen time. When we are focused on things, we tend to blink less and if this is over a prolonged period where they might be watching YouTube videos or scrolling through TikTok, this can contribute to uncomfortable eyes and digital eyestrain. Eventually, this could lead to headaches, blurry vision and itchy eyes.
Depression
Excessive time on your phone can contribute to your teen’s depression; they are exposed to things that might make them feel insecure about themselves and contribute to body image issues.
Hygiene
Sending countless hours of scrolling can make your teens lazy and not put the time into taking care of themselves. For example, they might be watching videos and draining themselves so much that they aren’t brushing their teeth or showering. This might start unhealthy habits and be the start of health issues in the future, calling for emergency dentist Milton Keynes appointments.
How Much Screentime Is Normal?
There is no right or wrong answer and every day your screen time might be different. You might be using it for maps or you are sitting at home scrolling all the time. The same applies to your teenager; they might use their devices a lot more during exam seasons so this might need to be adjusted over these periods.
A good rule of thumb might be anything between 2-4 hours a day, depending on what is scheduled. However, this is completely dependent on what you think is too much screen time.
Some Tips To Manage and Monitor Your Teen’s Screentime
Screen-free Zones
A good way to introduce no phones could be by setting rules that not only your teen has to abide by but everyone under the roof. For example, you could set the rule that there are no phones during dinner time or for any family bonding moments, whether it’s a day out or an event. This helps them not only stay present in the moment but also teaches them manners during moments you’re sharing with family and friends.
Encourage No Phone Past Certain Times
While there has been research to get a full good night’s sleep, you shouldn’t look at a screen for at least an hour before bed. You could set a rule that no phones are allowed before a certain time on school nights. This way, they are getting a healthy amount of sleep and learning some self-discipline.
Introduce New Hobbies
Starting new hobbies, whether it’s something sporty or creative, can be a good way to get your teen off their phone. During times when they are focusing on their hobbies, their phones won’t be in the picture. This is a good way to keep them stimulated but also extremely present in the natural moments.
Bring Up The Conversation
While it is hard to think this conversation could ever go well, you want to get your point across as well as possible. Affirming that you aren’t trying to control what they are doing but are trying to monitor so they can put more time into other things. Try to start the conversation after you have shared a good day with your teen. This way, it might not feel as if they are being ordered and it’s more of a healthy concern that you only want the best for them.
Parental Controls Where Necessary
While you might not have the patience to bargain with your teen and need them to understand immediately, you could try restricting them. Whether it is turning the wifi off after a certain hour or setting your limits on certain apps with how much screen time they can have for each app.
Set an Example
I am a big believer that behaviour is learned from who you spend your time with. If you are a parent who loves their devices, the likelihood that your children will grow into the same habits is more than likely. Therefore, if you want to see a change, you can either reduce your time, opt for an old-school phone or just don’t cave into societal pressures and don’t get your teenager a phone. This might be a good life lesson to teach them that they don’t need social media to fit in or to be happy and they will find it in real life.
