Jul 123 min read

Is Screen Time with You or Your Child Out of Control?

If you're the parent of a teen he or she may likely have a cellphone and spend excessive amounts of time on it texting, engaging with social media, and or playing games. You yourself may also spend too much time looking at your mobile phone screen. Experts say that spending more than 2 hours per day engaged with a screen is too much. They say that any time beyond that should be spent on physical activity.

Spending excessive amounts of time looking at a screen has a social impact. It causes stress and anxiety. Excessive use of social media and digital devices is linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety, particularly among adolescents. It increases dependence on validation from faceless people on the internet. It reduces the rate at which one physically interacts with others in real life, which also affects the release and maintenance of adequate doses of feel-good hormones like dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin, which are naturally required by all. Heavy screen use can lead to difficulties in maintaining attention and focus, especially in children and adolescents.

There are ways to help your youngster find an alternative to spending excessive times on their screens. Demonstrate appropriate friendship skills with both children and adults. Guide your child with patience, avoiding outbursts or blaming others. Provide him with the right words to use and be the respectful listener you want her to emulate, even when it’s challenging. Identify, acknowledge, and encourage positive cooperative behaviors such as sharing, giving compliments, and helping others. Encourage non-media entertainment, such as reading and/or listening to books, playing board games, and being outdoors. Participate with your kids and make the experiences fun and stimulating, so they will want to continue and further their involvement.

Promote non-digital activities such as reading or listening to books, playing board games, and spending time outdoors. Engage in these activities with your children and make them enjoyable and engaging, fostering a desire for continued participation and deeper involvement.

Demonstrate and teach your children active techniques for self-soothing and emotional regulation, such as focused breathing and mindfulness, to help them calm their bodies and clear their minds of distracting thoughts.

As an adult, reducing screen time can significantly enhance your social interactions. Keeping screens out of the bedroom can improve sleep quality and foster better relationships. Better sleep enhances mood, cognitive function, and overall energy levels, making individuals more inclined to engage socially. Without the distraction of screens, couples may find more time to connect and communicate with each other, strengthening their relationship bonds.

Avoiding screens during meals encourages mindful eating and face-to-face conversations. This practice allows individuals to focus on their dining companions, fostering deeper connections and improving communication skills. Meals can become valuable opportunities for social interaction and family bonding without the interruption of digital devices

Regular breaks from social media can reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation that excessive social media use often exacerbates. By stepping away from the virtual world, adults can engage more meaningfully with the real world, leading to increased participation in social activities and face-to-face interactions. This break also allows for a more authentic presence in conversations, as individuals are less likely to compare themselves to others online and more likely to engage genuinely.

Planning and committing to non-screen activities like sports, hobbies, or social events can significantly boost social engagement. Activities such as group sports, book clubs, or community events provide natural settings for building social connections and developing friendships. These interactions not only enrich personal lives but also improve mental health by reducing loneliness and promoting a sense of belonging

By careful consideration of how much time is spent in front of a screen, you and or your child can enhance your social interactions and overall well-being. Setting a foundation and limits with screen time can result more meaningful social connections and a more balanced lifestyle.