Always consider your child’s developmental age when deciding how much screen time is appropriate. At young ages, adhere to the more conservative pediatric guidelines that call for very strict limits. That’s no more than a few minutes a day of exposure. This youngest developmental period involves the most rapid neurological growth. During this period learning and…

Mindfulness and meditation may be growing in popularity, but so is their opposite: digital distraction. Our kids often spend more time on screens than sleeping. This lack of sleep along with the risks of online predators and pornography are obvious problems with today’s teen screen culture. But another big problem often gets overlooked: chronic stress….

“Screen time” used to mean sitting around and watching TV. For kids, too much time in front of the TV is linked to obesity, as well as trouble in school. But screen time doesn’t refer just to television anymore. Smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices are now everywhere. These new screens pose new challenges for…

The availability of junk foods and screens is increasingly creating challenges for parents. But in the home environment, parents shape their children’s diet, activity, screen time and health. This includes managing the foods they eat and the activities available to them, and the expectations around these. We know early childhood is a key time to influence and…

Facebook officials had internal research in March 2020 showing that Instagram—the social media platform most used by adolescents—is harmful to teen girls’ body image and well-being but swept those findings under the rug to continue conducting business as usual, according to a Sept. 14 report in The Wall Street Journal. Facebook’s policy of pursuing profits regardless…

Middle schoolers who spend time on smartphones, laptops, and tablets in the hour before bed are likely to sleep poorly and be more tired the next day, a new study shows. Researchers looked at the effects of screen time at bedtime among 345 children aged 12 to 14 over a six-month period. They found that…