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•••CASSY Conversations – Screen Time

Please click HERE to download a copy of this in PDF.

Parents ask CASSY therapists questions such as, "How much screen time is too much? How do I talk to my child about internet safety?"A parent asks, "How much screen time is too much for my child?" A therapist answers, if your child tries to get on a device first thing in the morning, if he or she complains or throws a tantrum when told it's time to get off the device, if he or she sneaks screen time, or if your child seems uninterested in other things, those are signs that cutting down on screen time would be beneficial.A therapist answers a parent's question on how to engage children in family activities that don't involve screen time. Ideas include making crafts together, playing board games, doing puzzles, making a reading fort, taking walks together, etc.  A parent asks, "Is more screen time okay since my child can't leave the house as much during COVID-19 shelter-in-place?" A therapist answers that screen time will naturally go up during online school and connecting with their peers virtually during quarantine. But if screen time is replacing sleep, exercise, family time or hobbies, it may be time for some intervention. A parent asks, "Should I know the passwords to my child's phone and social media accounts?" A therapist answers that parents of elementary children should check content regularly. More privacy may be granted in middle and high school, but having a phone is a privilege not a right, and there should be rules around use. A parent asks how to talk to her child about internet safety. A therapist answers with some basic guidelines: never reveal personal information to strangers, do not share passwords with friends, never respond to a threatening email/text but notify your parents immediately, talk to a trusted adult about any communication that was scary or hurtful. A parent asks, "What tools can help monitor or manage my child's screen time?" A therapist responds with several websites: healthy children.org, our pact.com, common sense media.org, healthy children.org, and kids health.org

Date:

March 5, 2021

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