The Word from St. Joseph's

Wellbeing Hub

Managing Screen Time & Digital Technology Use

 

Living in a digital age can be really tricky for parents to navigate. 

 

When should I give my child access to technology?

How do I ensure their safety online?

How much screen time should I allow?

Is my child old enough to manage a social media account?

 

While there are no clear answers that may work for each family, there are some useful tips and information available to parents online. It is a great idea to research apps or devices that your child is asking to use, find out the risks and benefits to their use, as well as maintaining active supervision of your children when using their devices. Remember, there are people and resources you can access to support you in making these decisions. 

 

Screen time and digital technology is part of our daily lives. A great way to assess if your child has balanced screen time is to use the following checklist:

 

Is your child:

  • sleeping enough?
  • physically healthy?
  • mentally and emotionally healthy?
  • engaged with school?
  • connecting socially with family and friends, online and offline?
  • enjoying a variety of hobbies and interests?
  • doing physical activity every day?
  • having fun and learning while using screens?
  • using quality content?

 

If you answer yes to most or all of these questions, your child is probably using digital technology in a balanced way as part of a healthy lifestyle.

 

Check out the eSafety Commissioner’s parent information resources:

EC-ESP-screen-time-tips-flyer_0.pdf (esafety.gov.au)

EC-ESP-First-Mobile-Phone-Flyer.pdf (esafety.gov.au)

EC-ESP-Online-safety-preschool-children-Flyer.pdf (esafety.gov.au)

 

 

Sources:

School refusal: children & teenagers | Raising Children Network

Are they old enough? | eSafety Commissioner

 

 

 

 

Mental Health Resources for parents

 

Head to Health

Access to trusted mental health and wellbeing information, online programs and digital resources.

 

Beyond Blue

Learn more about depression and anxiety, or talk it through with our support service.

Phone: 1300 224 636 (24/7) Email or chat online

 

eheadspace

A confidential, free and secure space where young people aged 12 to 25 or their family can chat, email or speak on the phone with a qualified youth mental health professional.

Phone: 1800 650 890 (9am – 1am everyday)

 

Lifeline

Access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services.

Phone: 13 11 14 (24/7)

 

Find a Psychologist

If you would like to find a registered psychologist in your area, the Australian Psychological Society Find a Psychologist service can assist with this. You can also speak to your GP about getting a referral to a psychologist.