Managing Summer Screen Time

Most parents share this struggle. When school ends and the kids are home, it can be a Herculean challenge to manage electronics usage. My 12-year-old son, Eric, would be on electronics all day if we let him. I hate having to police him all of the time and I even explored using an app that would cut him off after a certain amount of time, but decided against it.

The lack of structure means many kids will be saying that they are bored and that means they will be driving their parents crazy. That makes the temptation even greater to just relent and let them plug in.

The following infographic contains some important facts about summer screen time including:

• Kids eat more when they watch more TV.
• Over 15 million kids in the U.S. alone have long stretches of time without parental supervision.

Here's a summary of the advice they give when trying to tame the wild beast:

1. Be consistent and create a schedule.
2. Be mindful of how much you are using your smartphone in front of them.
3. Try not to punish them by taking away their electronics because it can translate to them being more reluctant to open up about online issues with you.
4. Not all screen time is equal. There are apps and programs that promote learning and social connection.

Good luck! I'll be experimenting all of this right along with you.​

Image courtesy of Forcefield.me.

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David B. Younger, Ph.D is the creator of Love After Kids, for couples that have grown apart since having children. He is a clinical psychologist and couples therapist with a web-based private practice, and lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, 12-year-old son, 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old toy poodle.