Create a Family Media Plan to Manage Recreational Screen Time
According to one study, kids who spend seven hours or more per day in front of a screen are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety than those who spend just one hour per day in front of a screen.
Research also shows that excessive recreational screen use can negatively affects schoolwork, activity levels and face-to-face communication skills.
To manage your child’s technology use, experts recommend creating a personalized family media plan that answers the following questions:
· What devices do I want my child to have access to?
· Where will devices be allowed and where will they be off-limits?
· How much time will my child be allowed to use them?
· What time must digital devices be turned off in the evening?
· Will the same rules apply during weekends and school breaks?
· What content is appropriate for my child to access?
· How will I monitor the content my child accesses?
· How will I maintain consistency?
· What consequences will there be for misusing devices?
· What example am I setting through my own use of technology?
Reprinted with permission from Parents Still make the difference!® newsletter. Copyright © 2026 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: J.M. Twenge and W.K. Campbell, “Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study,” Preventive Medicine Reports, Elsevier B.V.