How much time should children spend in front of screens?

There are studies, surveys, and recommendations on the amount of time children should spend in front of screens, but to date, no internationally agreed-upon standards have been established.

However, there are some principles that doctors, psychologists, addiction researchers, and media educators agree on regarding the use of devices, from television to internet access.

The The first years of life are for exploring the world.

“During the first two years of life, children do not yet need or understand the content of screens,” says pediatrician Ulrike Gaiser, co-author of the German guidelines on media for children, in an interview with DW.

During this phase, the child comes into contact with his environment and broadens his perception, focusing on people other than his mother, says Gaiser, and then on his surroundings. That is why it is important for him to learn to manage his own attention, and not place himself in front of something that absorbs it.

From a young age, they must learn that, sometimes, their needs are not met immediately: waiting and accepting things that happen are basic aspects of life, clarifies the doctor.

Screens, a waste of time

“Children perceive the world differently than adults,” says child psychologist Julia Asbrand of the University of Jena. "For very young children, everything they see can seem real in their imagination," explains Asbrand, and that can cause fear. Therefore, it is advisable for parents to watch the content they consider showing with their child, and to ask and talk to them about what they are watching.

What worries experts most is the amount of time young children spend in front of the screen, because during that time they are not interacting with other people. The more time they spend alone in front of a screen, the worse their later language skills are. If, on the other hand, screen time is reduced, their skills, such as fine motor skills, attention span, and social behavior, improve.

In kindergarten,Interaction and Imagination

In preschool, children learn to navigate space and play with other children. They also learn that other people have different ideas, that sometimes it is necessary to negotiate, assert themselves, give in, but that they can also fail.

At this stage, it is also important to develop imagination, to explore the world and shape it. The fewer opportunities children have to create inner images, the more difficult it is for them to develop their imagination. Therefore, a maximum of 30 minutes a day in front of a screen, with parental supervision, is the limit.

In primary and secondary school, parents should monitor content

Between six and nine years old, children develop something similar to moral concepts for the first time, says Gaiser. These are skills such as discipline, performance, and knowledge. The recommendation in Germany is a maximum of 30 to 45 minutes of screen time or internet content in children's free time, but always with parental supervision.

In Germany, doctors recommend a maximum of 45 to 60 minutes of screen time for children aged 9 to 12 in their free time. Between 12 and 16, a maximum of one to two hours, and between 16 and 18, approximately two hours.

At this stage, it's even more important to show interest and be open to asking questions and seeing what children are watching, explains Julia Asbrand. They may, for example, stumble upon cyberbullying by pedophiles and be hesitant to talk to their parents because they feel there is something they "shouldn't have done."

Internet access isn't always a bad thing

According to Geiser, content is much more important than time in front of devices. From the perspective of addiction research, it is very important that consumption does not become a habit, says Asbrand.

Giving up digital media would be unrealistic. Tablets and similar devices can be a useful tool in school. In private life, social media can help maintain contact, for example, with grandparents, or with parents who are traveling.

What can parents do?

Parents should not leave their children alone in front of screens. They should discuss media use and see what their children are watching. Freedom and trust between parents and children are crucial. Parents should be alarmed if their child withdraws, avoids other activities, or is generally sad or upset.

It is also important to establish clear rules that children can follow. For example: all cell phones and devices must be turned off by 8 p.m., including those of parents.

(rmr/cp)

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