Beyond Screen Time: Help Your Kids Build Healthy Media Use Habits
November 14, 2021
Media in all forms, including TV, computers and smartphones can affect how children feel, learn, think and behave. However, as a parent, you are still the most important influence.
Read on for tips on how to help your children develop healthy media use habits early on.
Media use and your children
There are risks and benefits that come with media use, and the key is to develop habits that help your family strike a healthy balance. You can decide what media use is best for your family. Remember, all children and teens need adequate sleep (8–12 hours, depending on age), physical activity (1 hour), and time away from media. (See the “Media Use Guidelines” chart, below, for general guidelines for media use based on age.)
Because children today are growing up in a time of highly personalized media use experiences, parents must develop personalized media use plans for their children. Media plans should take into account each child’s age, health, personality, and developmental stage.
Create a Family Media Plan online at HealthyChildren.org/MediaUsePlan. This lets you give consistent expectations and limits on media use that will help your kids balance media use with other healthy activities.
Media Use Guidelines for Families
|Media Use Guidelines
|Younger than 2 years old
|Children younger than 2 learn and grow when they explore the physical world around them. Their minds learn best when they interact and play with parents, siblings, caregivers, and other children and adults.
Children younger than 2 have a hard time understanding what they see on screen media and how it relates to the world around them.
However, children 18–24 months of age can learn from high-quality educational media, IF their parents play or view with them and reteach the lessons.
|2 to 5 years of age
|At 2 years of age, many children can understand and learn words from live video chatting. Young children can listen to or join a conversation with their parents.
Children 3–5 years of age have more mature minds, so a well-designed educational program such as Sesame Street (in moderation) can help children learn social, language, and reading skills.
|5 years and older
|Today’s grade-schoolers and teens are growing up immersed in digital media. They may even have their own mobile device and other devices to access digital media.
|Tweens and teens
|Tweens and teens are more likely to have some independence in what they choose and watch, and they may be consuming media without parental oversight.
|Parents should engage tweens and teens in conversations about their media use, digital citizenship, what they’ve seen or read, who they are communicating with, and what they have learned from their media use.
Healthy digital media use tips for families
- Do not feel pressured to introduce technology early. Media devices are designed to be intuitive, and children can learn quickly.
- Find out what type of and how much media are used and what media behaviors are appropriate for each child—and for you. Place consistent limits on hours of media use as well as types of media used.
- Select and co-view media with your child so they can use media to learn, be creative, and share these experiences with your family.
- Check your children’s media use for their health and safety.
- Stop use of devices or screens for 1 hour before bedtime. Do not let your children sleep with devices such as smartphones.
- Discourage entertainment media while doing homework.
- Plan media-free times together, such as family dinners.
- Decide on media-free, unplugged locations in homes, such as bedrooms.
- Engage in family activities that promote well-being, such as sports, reading, and talking with each other.
- Set a good example. Turn off the TV and put your smartphone on “do not disturb” during media-free times with your family.
- Use sites like Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org) to help you decide if movies, TV shows, apps, and video games are age and content appropriate for your children and your family values.
- Share your family media rules with caregivers or grandparents to help ensure rules are consistent.
- Talk with your children and teens about online citizenship and safety. This includes treating others with respect online, avoiding cyberbullying and sexting, being wary of online solicitations, and safeguarding privacy.
- Remember that your opinion counts. TV, video games, and other media producers, airers, and sponsors pay attention to the views of the public. For more information from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), visit http://reboot.fcc.gov/parents.
- Encourage your school and community to advocate for better media programs and healthier habits. For example, organize a Screen-Free Week in your town with other parents, teachers, and neighbors.
- Constantly Connected: How Digital Media Use Affects Your Child
- Cyberbullying: What Parents Need to Know
- Sexting: How To Talk With Kids About the Risks
- 5 Unhealthy Ways Digital Ads May Be Targeting Your Child
- Your Child’s First Cell Phone: Are They Ready?
- Video Games: Establish Your Own Family’s Rating System
- Last Updated
Adapted from Beyond Screen Time: A Parent’s Guide to Media Use (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Pediatrics)
Zaidi ya wakati wa skrini: Saidia Watoto Wako Kujenga Mazoea ya Matumizi ya Media ya Afya Novemba 14, 2021 Media katika aina zote, pamoja na TV, kompyuta na simu mahiri, zinaweza kuathiri jinsi watoto wanavyohisi, kujifunza, kufikiri na kujiendesha. Hata hivyo, kama mzazi, wewe bado una uvutano mkubwa zaidi. Soma hapa kwa vidokezo vya jinsi ya kuwasaidia watoto wako kuendeleza tabia nzuri za kutumia vyombo vya habari mapema. Matumizi ya vyombo vya habari na watoto wako Kuna hatari na faida zinazotokana na matumizi ya vyombo vya habari, na ufunguo ni kuendeleza tabia ambazo husaidia familia yako kupata usawa mzuri. Unaweza kuamua ni vyombo gani vya habari vinavyofaa familia yako. Kumbuka, watoto wote na matineja wanahitaji usingizi wa kutosha (saa 8-12 kulingana na umri), shughuli za mwili (saa moja), na muda mbali na vyombo vya habari. (Tazama chati ya "Miongozo ya Matumizi ya Vyombo vya Habari", hapa chini, kwa ajili ya miongozo ya jumla ya matumizi ya vyombo vya habari kulingana na umri.) Kwa sababu watoto leo wanakua katika wakati wa uzoefu wa matumizi ya vyombo vya habari vya kibinafsi, wazazi wanapaswa kuendeleza mipango ya matumizi ya vyombo vya habari vya kibinafsi kwa watoto wao. Mipango ya vyombo vya habari inapaswa kuzingatia umri wa kila mtoto, afya, utu, na hatua ya maendeleo. Kuunda Mpango wa Vyombo vya Habari vya Familia mtandaoni katika HealthyChildren.org/MediaUsePlan. Hii inakuwezesha kuweka matarajio na mipaka ya matumizi ya vyombo vya habari ambayo itasaidia watoto wako kusawazisha matumizi ya vyombo vya habari na shughuli nyingine za afya. Miongozo ya Matumizi ya Vyombo vya Habari kwa Familia: Watoto chini ya miaka miwili hujifunza na kukua wanapochunguza ulimwengu wa kimwili unaowazunguka. Akili zao hujifunza vizuri zaidi zinaposhirikiana na kucheza na wazazi, ndugu, watunzaji, na watoto wengine na watu wazima. Watoto walio chini ya miaka miwili wana shida kuelewa kile wanachoona kwenye media ya skrini na jinsi inahusiana na ulimwengu unaowazunguka. Watoto wenye umri wa miezi 18 hadi 24 wanaweza kujifunza kutoka kwa vyombo vya habari vya elimu vya ubora wa juu ikiwa wazazi wao wanacheza au kutazama nao na kuhariri masomo. Watoto wa miaka 2 hadi 5 wanaweza kuelewa na kujifunza maneno kupitia mazungumzo ya video. Watoto wadogo wanaweza kusikiliza au kujiunga na mazungumzo pamoja na wazazi wao. Watoto wenye umri wa miaka mitatu hadi mitano wana akili zilizokomaa zaidi, kwa hiyo programu ya elimu iliyoundwa vizuri kama vile Sesame Street (kwa kiasi) inaweza kuwasaidia watoto kujifunza ustadi wa kijamii, lugha, na kusoma. Watoto wa leo na vijana wanaokua wakiwa wamejazwa na vyombo vya habari vya dijiti. Wanaweza hata kuwa na kifaa chao cha mkononi na vifaa vingine vya kupata vyombo vya habari vya dijiti. Vijana na vijana wana uwezekano mkubwa wa kuwa na uhuru katika kile wanachochagua na kutazama, na wanaweza kuwa wakitumia vyombo vya habari bila usimamizi wa wazazi. Wazazi wanapaswa kujihusisha na vijana katika mazungumzo juu ya matumizi yao ya vyombo vya habari, uraia wa dijiti, kile walichoona au kusoma, wanawasiliana na nani, na kile wamejifunza kutoka kwa matumizi yao ya vyombo vya habari. Vidokezo vya kutumia vyombo vya habari vya dijiti kwa afya kwa familia - Usijihisi umeshinikizwa kuanzisha teknolojia mapema. Vifaa vya vyombo vya habari vimetengenezwa kwa njia ya kueleweka, na watoto wanaweza kujifunza upesi. - Kujua nini aina ya na kiasi cha vyombo vya habari ni kutumika na nini tabia vyombo vya habari ni sahihi kwa kila mtoto <unk> na kwa ajili yenu. Weka mipaka thabiti juu ya masaa ya matumizi ya vyombo vya habari pamoja na aina za vyombo vya habari vinavyotumiwa. Chagua na kuchunguza vyombo vya habari pamoja na mtoto wako ili waweze kutumia vyombo vya habari kujifunza, kuwa wabunifu, na kushiriki uzoefu huu na familia yako. - Angalia matumizi ya vyombo vya habari vya watoto wako kwa afya na usalama wao. • Kuacha kutumia vifaa vya kompyuta au skrini kwa saa moja kabla ya kulala. Usiruhusu watoto wako kulala na vifaa kama vile simu mahiri. - Usivumilie vyombo vya habari vya burudani unapofanya kazi ya nyumbani. - Panga wakati wa pamoja usio na vyombo vya habari, kama vile chakula cha jioni cha familia. - Kuamua juu ya vyombo vya habari-free, unplugged maeneo katika nyumba, kama vile vyumba vya kulala. - Shiriki katika shughuli za familia zinazoendeleza ustawi, kama vile michezo, kusoma, na kuzungumza pamoja. - Weka kielelezo kizuri. Zima TV na weka simu yako ya mkononi kwenye "usivurugike" wakati wa wakati wa bure wa vyombo vya habari na familia yako. Tumia tovuti kama vile Common Sense Media (www.commonsense.com) kukusaidia kuamua kama filamu, vipindi vya televisheni, programu, na michezo ya video ni umri na maudhui sahihi kwa watoto wako na maadili ya familia yako. - Kushiriki sheria yako ya vyombo vya habari vya familia na watunzaji au babu na nyanya kusaidia kuhakikisha sheria ni thabiti. - Zungumza na watoto wako na matineja kuhusu uraia na usalama mtandaoni. Hii inatia ndani kuwatendea wengine kwa heshima mtandaoni, kuepuka unyanyasaji wa mtandaoni na kutuma ujumbe wa kingono, kuwa mwangalifu kuhusu maombi ya mtandaoni, na kulinda faragha. - Kumbuka kwamba maoni yako yanahesabiwa. Watengenezaji wa televisheni, michezo ya video, na vyombo vingine vya habari, watangazaji, na wadhamini hufikiria maoni ya umma. Kwa maelezo zaidi kuhusu FCC, tembelea www.reboot.fcc.gov. - Kuhimiza shule yako na jamii kutetea programu bora za vyombo vya habari na mazoea mazuri. Kwa mfano, tengeneza Juma Lisilo na Vipindi vya Kuangalia Vipindi vya Televisheni katika mji wako pamoja na wazazi wengine, walimu, na majirani. "Kama ""Mwanzo wa Mtandao"" kwa watoto wako, ""Mwanzo wa Mtandao"" kwa watoto wako, ""Mwanzo wa Mtandao"" kwa watoto wako, ""Mwanzo wa Mtandao"" kwa watoto wako, ""Mwanzo wa Mtandao"" kwa watoto wako, ""Mwanzo wa Mtandao"" kwa watoto wako." Video ya Video: Kuanzisha Mfumo wa Kiwango cha Familia Yako - Mwisho wa Kusasishwa Iliyotengenezwa kutoka Zaidi ya Wakati wa Skrini: Mwongozo wa Mzazi wa Matumizi ya Vyombo vya Habari (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Pediatrics)