There is no doubt that we live in a technological age. If you look at the amount of time your children spend in front of the television, computer, video games, or smartphones, you’d be surprised by exactly how much “Screen Time” they actually consume. Research by the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation shows kids ages 8–18 per day spend approximately 7.5 hours using entertainment media; 4.5 hours watching TV; 1.5 hours on the computer; and over an hour playing video games. They only spent 25 minutes per day reading books!

When my daughter was younger, I swore I would not let her fall into the technology trap, as I like to call it. All of her friends (and even cousins her age) had cell phones, computers, iPods, and iPads. I wanted more for my child, so I limited what she had. At first she got a laptop from her uncle and was content with that for a few years. Then we realized that we need to get her a cell phone since she was walking back and forth from school and often needed to contact me.

I didn’t get her anything fancy. In fact, her first phone was a prepaid slide phone that had limited features. She was able to connect to the wi-fi at home but if she used all of her minutes from talking or texting before the month was over, she was out of luck until the next month. This worked for a while but then along came the iPad. It was all downhill from there.

And while her usage is strictly limited, we still have a few issues here and there with her “digital binging”.

Digital binging is the act of using digital technology for long stretches of time without breaks or face to face social interactions. Whether it is binge watching a favorite television show or spending countless hours online, digital binging can cause social and health issues from digital eye strain to decreased social skills.

So, what can parents do to stop this digital binging trend?  Focus kids on activities that don’t involve a screen! Here are few steps parents can take to get your kids off of digital devices and on to other forms of entertainment and fun.

  1. Be a role model. Limit your own screen time habits by cutting back on the amount of screen time you get at home.
  2. Create family screen rules. Create a family contract that clearly outlines screen time rules with rewards and punishments. Here are some screen time rules to apply:
    • No texting, smartphones, or TV during meals
    • No screen time until after homework and chores are done
    • The TV, smartphones, tablets, and computers get turned off at a set time at night
    • No TVs, tablets, or computers in bedrooms
  3. Encourage socializing activities. Suggest social activities that relate to their interests that involve other kids, like school or church groups or volunteering.
  4. Set usage targets. Take stock of what you want to accomplish by limiting the screen time. For example encourage outdoor activities, improve academics, encourage face-to-face social interactions, etc. Let these goals determine when, what, and how much you let your kids use technology.
  5. Set clear consequences. Screen time is a privilege, not a right. Rules that are not obeyed should have clear consequences for them to be effective. Take screen time away if a certain house or school commitment is not met like chores and grades, or fail to follow set screen time rules.
  6. Promote a “Screen Time Free” day in your house. Once a week, as a family vow to not have any screen time. Use the time to get outside, take a walk, read a book, play games, or visit some friends without digital technology.

Post updated on May 4, 2020