Today, it is almost impossible to raise a child completely away from phones, tablets, and televisions. However, uncontrolled screen use leads to attention deficit, sleep disorders, and delays in language development in children.
Ideal Screen Times by Age
Expert pedagogues and the World Health Organization (WHO) draw the following boundaries for screen use:
- 0-2 Years: Zero screen time. Babies in this age group only need physical interactions in the real world for their brain development. Family video calls are an exception.
- 2-5 Years: Maximum 1 hour a day. The content watched must be educational and supervised by a parent.
- 6 Years and Older: Should not exceed 2 hours a day. It must be ensured that screen time does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or homework times.
How Do We Prevent Screen Addiction?
Suddenly snatching the device from the child's hand leads to temper tantrums. Instead, the healthiest approach is to tie screen times to a rule in advance (e.g., "30 minutes after dinner") and fill their gaps by playing one-on-one games with them during off-screen times.
