Where 'screen time' comes from
The idea of "screen time" gained traction in 1999, when the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested parents avoid computer and TV use for children under two and limit such use to no more than two hours for children over two, adding hours as kids age.
While the group relaxed these guidelines in 2016 (to include positive digital media use and family media plans), the idea of screen time remains largely unchanged.
Despite the allure of easy-to-follow rules that address parental concerns, screen time recommendations have drawn increasing criticism from a wide range of experts.
In the academic world, the science supporting screen time recommendations has major limitations. Lab-based studies don't always translate to the complexities of real life.
More often than not, screen time studies demonstrate connections between problems with well-being and media use; they don't demonstrate one causes the other.
For example, while research suggests there's a connection between screen time and childhood obesity, that could just mean that kids who are less active are more likely to be obese and spend more time in front of screens.
The research does not suggest that screen time causes obesity.
Screen time today
As our media practices have changed, and adults have begun to spend more of their time online, the idea of screen time has not kept up with the times.
The world is saturated with all kinds of positive, interactive media experiences - for children and adults alike.
Ideas about limiting screen time assume all screen experiences are equally negative for kids and that they're replacing positive offline activities.
Yet, we know that kids do all kinds of positive things with digital media, often in ways that support and are supported by "real life" activities - in ways similar to adults.
They go online to hang out with friends, catch up on events and seek out entertainment and information, just like anyone else.
In my own work, I've argued that some of the problems that parents have with kids and technology are, in fact, not about technology at all.
With each generation, kids have been increasingly restricted from going outside on their own, so we shouldn't be surprised when kids turn to social media apps to hang out and socialise - and get upset when we stop them.
So what should parents do?
How, then, can parents get a handle on their children's media use? As always, it's complicated - and no expert advice should trump the real, everyday experiences that parents have with their own children.
That said, there are some general guidelines that can help.
First, parents should get away from ideas about time and focus more on the content, context and connections provided by different kinds of engagement with media.
There's a world of difference between spending a few hours playing games with close friends online and spending a few hours interacting with hate groups in an online forum.
Second, parents should ask real questions concerning the well-being of their children, independent of their media use.
Are your children healthy, socially engaged, doing well in school and generally happy? If so, there's probably no need to enforce hard restrictions on technology.
If not, it's best not to rush to conclusions about the inherent evils of technology.
Have a conversation with kids about what they're doing and what they think the rules should be. Cutting kids off without understanding their problems can make things worse.
Finally, parents should remember that there's no substitute for a supportive relationship with their children.
With a trusting relationship, even negative experiences online can become positive learning experiences.
I've learned that if you care enough to be worried about digital media, you're probably "doing enough" to protect your kids.
The Conversation
