There are no strict regulations. We’re all striving to do our best.
There are no strict regulations. We’re all striving to do our best.
This week, the Pew Research Center unveiled a report on how parents handle screen time for their children aged 12 and under. The findings were not especially shocking (or insightful, to be frank). A whopping 90 percent of parents indicated their kids watch TV, while 61 percent mentioned their children occasionally interact with smartphones. Surprisingly, only 50 percent reported allowing them to use any game console. Even though 42 percent of respondents felt they could do a better job managing their children’s screen time, 86 percent acknowledged having rules regarding screens, though they don’t always adhere to them.
However, the Pew study fails to specify what those rules entail. Knowing that a certain share of parents “occasionally” lets their kids watch TV does not provide useful insight into how long the viewing lasts, what is being watched, or how parents ensure they’re not exposed to inappropriate content.
With my eight-year-old, we have applied a form of barter system I adopted from Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism. Each week, they begin with 10 tokens, valued at $5 or five hours of screen engagement. Additional time or money can be earned through reading. Their usage of that time is mostly at their discretion; they can dive into Minecraft or view shows on their children’s accounts on Disney+, Netflix, or Paramount+. There are also a few music-making applications and games available on their iPad. However, unrestrained access to the iPad is not permitted.
In case you think I’m overly controlling of my kids’ screen habits, my youngest enjoys an hour of (predominantly educational) television daily, allowing us to assist the oldest with their homework undisturbed. Additionally, every Saturday is family movie night, where we rotate who gets to choose the movie for that week.
When I inquired with you (The Verge readers) and our team about their approaches to managing their children’s screen time, a common theme emerged—making it a collective activity.
- Yw0 suggested that the best strategy is to “be present” during TV time “to make it a communal experience.”
- Kate Cox, a senior producer for Decoder, practices what she terms Family Time, where they “all engage in watching or playing something together. Right now, we’re finishing up Steven Universe, Batman TAS, and Final Fantasy 6 (in rotation), allowing the kids to engage with content they might have queries about or be unable to tackle alone.”
It appears that the duration of time kids spend in front of screens isn’t the most significant issue. Although time limits were frequently enforced, they were not universally applied.
- Senior Transportation Editor, Andrew Hawkins, maintains simplicity with a strict measure: “no screens during the school week.”
- maverikJV restricts their son to two hours of gaming on weekends, with no gaming during the school week.
- Ostino restricts computer time to two hours on weekdays, but keeps access to PlayStations and Switches open.
- Smash Monocle limits their kids to just one hour on iPads daily, stating, “they don’t have unrestricted access to the devices and often go several days without using them… Our main goal is purposeful usage, not aimless browsing.”
That seemed to be the primary concern among parents: what their children are doing during screen time. Social media posed a significant worry, with 80 percent of Pew survey respondents claiming it does more harm than good. Interestingly, 15 percent admitted their children used TikTok, while usage on other platforms like Instagram and Facebook was notably lower, at just 5 percent. 74 percent reported watching YouTube alongside their kids, while only 15 percent indicated their children do not watch YouTube at all.
- Many (myself included) do not allow their children to access YouTube unsupervised.
- Senior reviewer John Higgins permits his son to only watch or play pre-approved content, including Minecraft, but “definitely no Roblox (ever).” He also restricts who he can connect with on FaceTime.
- Kate Cox describes herself as “largely permissive with games… but restrictive with the internet.” This encompasses no Roblox or YouTube.
As for tools to manage screen time, simply taking the device away or hitting the power button proved to be the most favored method. Some opted for Apple’s Screen Time feature to specifically restrict iPad usage.
Smartphones were not prevalent among younger children. The Pew survey revealed that only 29 percent of parents permitted their 8 to 10-year-olds to have their personal smartphone. However, they become more common as children enter their teenage years.
- Abdulla77’s teenage daughter possesses an iPhone, but her usage is limited to calling him or his wife during specific hours.
- Krisprince favors the Bark Phone for their 13-year-old due to its extensive parental controls.
Keep in mind that there is no definitive answer for raising children. What works effectively for one parent may not translate to another. We’re all just attempting to do our utmost. Or at least 58 percent of us believe we are, as indicated by Pew.
