Encouraging Healthy Screen Use
As parents, it's not always easy to ensure that our teenagers' screen use is appropriate, balanced, and safe. It can feel overwhelming and sometimes leave us feeling powerless. Here are some tips that can help.
In collaboration with PAUSE.
To remember
👉 Beyond the time spent, the type of content (unifying, educational) and the chosen moment (not at meals!) are essential for healthy use.
👉 Establish clear limits. Set a maximum screen time for leisure (2 hours/day recommended) and encourage offline activities.
👉 Take an interest in your teen's online activity without judgment and discuss together a healthy balance.
What do we mean by healthy use?
As parents, we often hear about "screen time" and the official recommendations. But having a balanced and more mindful use is much more than that! Yes, duration matters, but you also need to pay attention to the type of content your teen is watching and when they are doing it: these are the 3 simple keys to a healthier relationship with screens!
All screens must also be considered: we're not just talking about cell phones. There's also the tablet, computer, laptop, game console… and TV!
Time
In a world where everything is designed to capture our attention, it becomes easy to spend hours in front of a screen without realizing it. And for teenagers, their cell phone is almost an extension of themselves: it goes everywhere with them! It's important to remember that screen time is divided into two categories: time spent for school or professional obligations, and time spent for leisure.
It is for the latter that we suggest limiting to 2 hours a day for teenagers. Beyond this limit, negative impacts can appear. Evaluate the number of hours your child spends in front of a screen and adjust as needed. The important thing is that this time does not encroach on other areas of their life - studies, sleep, activities, relationships, etc.
Content
Not all content is created equal! It's best to encourage content that is unifying, educational, or interactive — like a family movie or a video tutorial.
Conversely, some content should be avoided: content that isolates, trivializes violence, uses gambling strategies, or displays advertisements that are not age-appropriate for your child. Some content can trigger negative emotions — anxiety, comparison, fear of missing out — or even normalize risky behaviors (substance use, dangerous challenges, etc.).
And then there's the content we could call "empty calories": the content we consume without really thinking about it, like those cat videos we chain-watch on YouTube without seeing the time go by.
What content is your teen watching? Is it doing them good or, on the contrary, harming their well-being?
Moments
How many times have you asked your teen to put down their cell phone or console? Like us, teenagers often check their screens automatically — it's a simple reflex. As a result, they sometimes use them at less appropriate times, such as during meals, during homework (hello multitasking!), or even in the middle of a conversation.
This is called "technoference": when technology invites itself where it shouldn't. You can help your teenager find a healthier use of screens by determining with them when it is appropriate to use their screens… and when it is better to put them aside. The goal: to fully enjoy disconnected moments, together.
Aiming for balance
Several strategies can be put in place to supervise the use of screens at home. The important thing is to choose the ones that reflect your values, your principles, and your family reality.
Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
Have screen time recommendations respected as much as possible: ideally, a maximum of 2 hours per day for leisure.
Use the screen time feature on your cell phone or a dedicated app to keep an eye on screen time.
Prioritize daily offline activities: in-person interactions, physical activities, creative projects, outings with friends, family activities, etc. Don't forget to prioritize content that is unifying, interactive, educational, and that makes you feel good.
Prohibit access to social networks, certain applications, or even certain games (including those on cell phones) before a certain age.
Make sure that during homework time, the teenager uses only one screen, if needed, to promote concentration. Multitasking is not effective!
Institute screen breaks for the whole family, especially during family meals and outings.
Remind them to avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime to promote quality sleep and a recommended number of hours of sleep.
Although parental control software is not foolproof, some choose to acquire one. This software will allow you to block access to certain sites and control the time of use, among other things.
For their safety, review privacy and control settings for browsers, applications, and cell phones with your teenager.
Make a family media plan, review it or revise it regularly, and include time limits, content to favor, and appropriate times. This agreement applies to both parents and children and represents a form of family commitment.
Beyond these few tips, two keys can really make a difference:
Take an interest in what your teenager is doing online. This will allow you to better guide them towards a safer digital environment and understand what attracts them to certain apps or games.
Have a benevolent and non-judgmental discussion. Screens are part of their daily lives and are not about to disappear. The challenge is to find a balance together between your teenager's desires and your role as a parent.
Remember: you have an essential role to play in this digital learning!
Source: Canadian Paediatric Society, Digital Health Task Force, Ottawa (ON)
