Parents Have Been Told Screen Time Isn’t So Bad For Kids After All – But Not Everyone Is Convinced | EWmums.com
 

Parents Have Been Told Screen Time Isn’t So Bad For Kids After All – But Not Everyone Is Convinced

Is it time to put aside guilt over tablet use?

Posted on

6 January 2019

Screen time for kids

If you’ve ever felt bad about handing your kids your phone to play with – whether you were too busy to entertain them yourself in that moment, or just needed a bit of quiet time – you might be able to stop feeling that way now.

A new report released today is suggesting kids’ screen time in itself is not as detrimental as you might have thought.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has said there is not enough evidence to suggest that screen time is “toxic” to a child’s health, but has recommended cutting it out before bedtime.

Crucially, the RCPCH has also suggested four questions to consider if you are worried about your children and their tablet, phone and computer use:

1. Is your family’s screen time under control?
2. Does screen use interfere with what your family wants to do?
3. Does screen use interfere with sleep?
4. Are you able to control snacking during screen time?

“It is important to encourage parents to do what is right by their family,” says Dr Max Davie, the college’s officer for health promotion. “We suggest that age-appropriate boundaries are established, negotiated by parent and child that everyone in the family understands.”

While some people on social media are welcoming the report and its guidance…

… others are not convinced allowing screen time is a good option:

With some arguing it can affect attention and focus in school:

While others say the advice parents receive on screen time is often conflicting:

For many, it’s really a question of finding balance between a child’s screen time and other activities…

Ultimately though, it depends on the individual child, and how your family works as a unit…