Student Wellbeing 

Screen Time - How much is too much? 

The rise in screen time among children in Australia.

There has been a noticeable surge in the duration that children spend in front of screens. This increased screen time significantly impacts a child’s cognitive abilities, social skills, and behaviour. Let's explore how extended screen exposure affects these crucial aspects of child development.

Most Australian children are surpassing the recommended daily limit of two hours for screen time, which includes activities like watching TV, using computers, and playing electronic games. For instance, children aged 4-5 years are averaging over two hours of screen time on weekdays. By the time they reach 12-13 years old, this screen time increases to more than three hours on an average weekday and nearly four hours on weekends. This translates to approximately 30% of a child's waking hours being spent in front of a screen.

The Psychology behind excessive screen time among children

So now that we know how prevalent excessive screen time is among children, you may be wondering how this excessive use of screen time affects your child psychologically. Well, as mentioned previously, excessive screen time can impact the developing brain of your child and cause cognitive, social, and behavioural challenges. Let’s delve into these challenges specifically. 

Cognitive Ability 

Excessive screen time can potentially lead to physical alterations in the brain. The cortex, which is responsible for processing information and undergoes crucial development during adolescence, may be influenced by screen usage. According to research known as the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, adolescents who spend more than seven hours a day on screens tend to have a thinner cortex compared to those with lower screen usage. 

Social Skills

Studies have indicated that excessive screen time hinders young children's capacity to recognise facial expressions and acquire essential social skills, which are crucial for the development of empathy. For young children, face-to-face interactions are the primary means through which they grasp non-verbal signals and learn to interpret them.

Behaviour

Children who spend too much time using screens can experience issues related to Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS). One noticeable effect is difficulty in regulating their moods and attention spans in appropriate situations. For example, many smartphone games designed for kids incorporate simple reward systems. When a child achieves a goal or earns points in these games, they are often rewarded with pleasant sounds, positive responses from characters, or other forms of positive reinforcement. These experiences can condition young children, leading them to believe that the real world operates similarly. As a result, when faced with situations that don't provide immediate rewards or positive feedback, children may react in ways that are unexpected and sometimes even aggressive.

Rest assured, there are solutions to tackle the challenge of excessive screen time if this is a struggle in your home. 

• Set screen time limits: Establish clear daily and weekly screen time limits for your child based on their age and needs. Consistently enforcing these limits helps create a healthy balance between screen time and other activities, fostering their overall wellbeing.
• Create screen-free zones: Designate certain areas in your home, such as the dining room and bedrooms, as screen-free zones. This helps ensure that screens don't encroach on essential family and sleep time, promoting healthier habits.
• Provide alternatives: Encourage your child to engage in non-screen activities like outdoor play, reading, board games, or creative pursuits. Offering appealing alternatives can make it easier for them to step away from screens and enjoy a variety of experiences.
• Model balanced behaviour: Children often emulate the behaviour of adults. By modelling balanced screen use, you demonstrate the importance of maintaining a healthy equilibrium between screen time and other activities. This sets a positive example for your child to follow.
• Engage together: Spend quality time engaging in screen-free activities as a family. Whether it's going for a nature walk, cooking together, or playing games, shared experiences strengthen family bonds and provide enjoyable alternatives to screen time. 

As you work toward implementing these solutions, remember that the goal isn't to eliminate screen time entirely but to find a healthy balance. By setting limits, creating screen-free zones, providing alternatives, modelling balanced behaviour, and engaging in meaningful family activities, you can help your child develop healthier screen time habits. These steps will not only benefit their cognitive and social development but also create a more harmonious family environment where technology complements, rather than dominates, their lives.

I pray that you and your family will be blessed as you navigate this season of your life, and that the Lord will fill you with His overwhelming love and peace. 

God bless you. 

Georgia Akiki

Junior School Counsellor

Helpful Links:

Healthy screen time and digital technology use: checklist

Screen time guidelines