Screens, Screens, Everywhere Screens

In the tech-driven world of today, how can we as parents effectively monitor the amount of time our children spend in front of a digital screen?

Between televisions, tablets, cellular phones, computers, and videogames, there are enough screens in today’s world for the Five Man Electrical Band to compose a new hit song. And screen exposure knows no age boundaries, as chances are you could walk into your nearest Apple store only to find a toddler navigating an iPad with the greatest of ease. The variety of digital devices and their features help us to perform complex tasks at the simple touch of a button, whether it be planning a workweek, researching a homework assignment, or entertaining a toddler while mom and dad tackle the grocery-shopping list. Yet, as with most seemingly “good” things, new research is demonstrating how exposing our children to too much time in front of a digital screen can have some potentially serious side effects.

What the Research Tells Us
Like any other clan culture, we as humans rely heavily on our ability to relate socially in order to survive and thrive. By way of our in-person social interactions we communicate a wealth of information, not only through our words, but also through our actions, our facial expressions, and our body language. Most of us will agree that these accompanying nonverbal methods of communication allow for us to express ourselves more fully when placed in comparison to communications conducted via technological, artificially produced means (think of the number of times you sent an email or text message and the recipient read it in a way that was different from what you had intended). A recent study conducted by UCLA professor of developmental psychology Dr. Patricia Greenfield aimed to assess for the effects of regular exposure to digital screens on a child’s capacity to read nonverbal, emotional cues in human faces. Results demonstrated that children who went five days without exposure to a digital screen performed better at reading emotional cues than a control group of children who continued to have regular access to their screens. In reflecting upon the preliminary findings of her study, Dr. Greenfield noted, “Our species evolved in an environment where there was only face-to-face interaction. Since we were adapted to that environment, it’s likely that our skills depend on that environment. If we reduce face-to-face interaction drastically, it’s not surprising that the social skills would also get reduced.” An impairment in a child’s ability to read the nonverbal cues and emotional expressions of another person could result in significant challenges with his or her developing social skills, particularly when we consider the already turbulent waters that so often make up childhood and adolescence.

Tips for Effectively Monitoring Your Child’s Screen Time
1) Set Guidelines From the Start Before allowing your child free access to cell phones, tablets, or other digital devices, it will be important to set clear guidelines as to where, when, and how much time can be spent using them. Try to make this a two-way conversation by giving the child the opportunity to offer his or her input and considerations regarding screen access. As a general rule of thumb, the American Academic of Pediatrics (A.A.P.) recommends no television or digital entertainment media access before the age of 2, and 1-2 hours of maximum screen access per day for children and teens.

2) Distinguish Between “Good” and “Bad” Screen Time Dr. Greenfield acknowledges how screen time access is often a necessary educational component, as it can help with effectively researching, writing, and proofreading school assignments. She points out that in these particular instances, “You’re not substituting screen time for interaction time. You’re substituting alone time with the screen for alone time with your paper and pen.” A good benchmark for distinguishing between “good” and “bad” screen time is monitoring when the screen is used as a replacement for in-person, face-to-face activities.

3) Model Responsible Screen Time Behavior If you have successfully implemented tip #1, chances are your children will be quick to point out when they catch you exceeding your own screen time limits. And as we all know, responding with, “Because I’m the adult,” will often lead to more complaining from your child. Given that grownups are not immune to the detrimental effects of too much screen time, modeling responsible screen time behavior will be beneficial for both the child and parent alike.

// Dr. Nate Balfanz is the Senior Clinical Psychologist at JJ-Premier Medical Care, a comprehensive mental and medical health service clinic for expat children, adolescents, adults, and families living in Shanghai. For more information on clinic services, contact Dr. Balfanz at: nbalfanzpsyd@jjpremier.com