Understanding and managing your child’s screen time
Screen time is a normal part of modern life, and many children and teenagers spend some time on screens every day. It’s natural to worry about how this might affect your child’s wellbeing, behaviour, or development. But there isn’t one ‘right’ amount of screen time that works for every family. What matters most is finding an approach that fits your child’s needs and your family life.
There are some helpful things to think about when deciding what’s right for your child, along with some practical ways to set realistic and manageable boundaries.
Screen use in children and teenagers
Screen time isn’t just about phones and tablets, but also includes TV, gaming, and devices used for schoolwork.
Screen use can be grouped into 3 main types:
- passive use – such as watching TV or background streaming
- interactive use – including games, social media, or video calling
- educational use – like homework or learning apps
It can also make a difference whether your child is using screens:
- on their own, for example in their bedroom
- with others, such as watching together or talking about content
Shared screen time can give you more chances to understand what your child is seeing.
Many children, especially teenagers, use several screens at the same time. For example, they might watch TV while using their phone and completing homework. This can make it harder to notice how much time they are spending on screens.
How screen time can affect your child
Screen time can have both positive and negative effects on your child’s wellbeing, depending on how, when, and how much it is used.
Too much screen use in early years can reduce time spent on face-to-face interaction and play. This in turn may affect your child’s social skills and speech development.
Some types of content, especially fast-paced or short-form videos, can make it harder for children to focus. It can also reduce your child’s attention span over time.
Screen use, especially before bed, can make it harder for your child to fall asleep. If something is always playing on a screen in the background, this can also contribute to sleep problems.
Children may come across distressing or age-inappropriate content, even on platforms designed for them. There is a risk that your child may be shown unsuitable content due to platform algorithms and autoplay features. Viewing inappropriate or upsetting content can affect your child’s mental health.
Screen time can sometimes become a default activity. This may mean less time for play, outdoor activities and conversation. It can also lead to habits that feel difficult to manage or stop entirely.
What healthy screen use looks like for your child
Screen time is part of everyday life for many families. You might wonder what “healthy” use looks like, especially as your child grows.
Healthy screen use is about balance across your child’s day. This includes time on screens, but also time playing, being active and connecting with others.
You can aim for a mix of:
- independent screen use
- shared screen use as a family
- offline play and activity
Screens can be part of a healthy routine when they sit alongside social interaction, rest and other everyday activities.
For younger children, especially those under the age of 5, it helps to focus on interaction, play and communication first. Building these skills will help to support your child’s development.
If you do use screens, it’s good to share screen time where possible. Watching or using screens together can help your child learn. You could talk about what you are watching or ask your child simple questions about it.
Choose calm, simple content to watch together. Very fast-paced or overstimulating content can be harder for young children to follow and process.
As your child grows, screen use often becomes a more regular part of their routine. Many parents find it helpful to combine structure with flexibility when managing screen use.
You could try:
- setting some limits or using parental controls
- making time for offline play and social activities
- keeping devices in shared family spaces where possible
This can help you stay involved in what your child is doing, without needing to monitor everything closely.
Teenagers often spend more time on screens. This can include schoolwork, socialising and relaxing. Instead of trying to control all their screen use, it can help to build awareness together.
You could:
- talk about screen habits, such as having something playing in the background all day
- encourage breaks and time away from screens
- keep conversations open and ongoing
This can support your child to make their own balanced choices over time. It’s also important to talk to them about staying safe online.
For neurodivergent children, screens may help with emotional regulation, decompressing and coping in stressful environments.
A flexible and tailored approach to managing their screen time can help. You can still aim for balance, including time for play, interaction and sleep.
It’s also important to avoid removing screens in ways that may cause distress or make it harder for your child to manage their emotions.
There is no single “right” way to manage screen time. What matters most is finding a balance that works for your child and your family.
Setting screen time boundaries
When setting boundaries on screen time, it’s best to make small, realistic changes rather than big ones. This can help to make things feel more manageable and easier for your child to accept the new rules.
You could start by gradually introducing some shared offline time, such as arranging to do a short screen-free activity together.
As children get older, involving them in decisions often works better than setting rules alone. You could:
- ask “how can we make screen time work better for you?”
- agree limits together, so your child has some control
- link limits to things that matter to them, like better sleep or mood
A collaborative approach can help your child take more responsibility over time.
Dealing with conflict about screen time
It’s common for screen use to cause tension at home. Small changes in how you approach the issue can make these conversations calmer and more productive.
Some approaches can increase conflict and make it harder to agree limits. This includes:
- sudden bans or strict rules without discussion
- removing screens as a punishment for behaviour not linked to screen use
These actions can feel unfair or confusing to your child, especially if they don’t understand the reasons behind them. Before setting limits, focus on understanding your child’s world. This can make them more open to change.
You could try:
- talking about what they enjoy and why it matters to them
- asking open questions – for example, “what do you like about this?”
- listening without criticising, even if you disagree
This helps your child feel heard, which can lower defensiveness.
When you need to take screens away (for example, when they’ve reached their limit) you can suggest an alternative activity that your child enjoys instead. This shows you are not trying to remove something important without offering something else in return.
If you share care with another parent, differences in rules can be challenging to manage. It can help to:
- aim for consistency where possible, even if it’s not exact
- accept that you cannot control what happens in the other home
- focus on what you can do in your own household
- communicate calmly to agree shared expectations where you can
Even small areas of agreement can make things clearer for your child.
Friends and peers can influence how much children use screens. This can make it harder for you to set boundaries at home.
You could talk to other parents to see if they have similar concerns, and agree simple group norms, such as device cut-off times. This can reduce pressure on your child and help them feel they are not the only one with limits in place.
Date last reviewed: August 2026
Next review due: August 2029
