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Balancing Home and School Screen Time
- Robyn Reyna, LPC-S, RPT-S, RST
- Dec 6, 2022
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 4, 2024
One of the many side effects of the pandemic is a significant increase in academic screen time for kids. It's well known now that screen time has negative impacts on the development and mental health of kids. Robyn Reyna provided an interview on how to balance home and school screen time for Very Well Family. Read a snippet below or check out the full article here.
" 'Teach kids about how screens make our brains and bodies tired and stressed,' Rausch adds. 'When you notice extra screen time is causing emotional or oppositional behavior, tell them what you see and explain they need to take a break from screens.'
Unstructured time can also be a powerful tool for kids, Rausch notes. Giving kids breaks away from screens just to explore and even feel "bored" is invaluable. 'If you have the chance, suggest that kids be outside for at least an hour before they have any screen time,' she says. In fact, many of the harms done by screens can be remedied with unstructured free time and access to nature, adds Rausch."
Check out the rest of the article at Very Well Family.
The point about teaching kids that screens make their brains and bodies tired really resonated with me - it's such a simple way to help them understand why breaks matter. I liked the idea of letting kids feel bored too, since we tend to rush to fill every moment with stimulation. I'm going to check out imposter game generator for more tips on finding that balance.
It's really insightful how Rausch points out that unstructured time and access to nature can remedy many of the harms from increased academic screen time. The idea of suggesting kids be outside for an hour before any screen time is a practical tip for families trying to balance things. For those looking for tools to help manage schedules, a grid maker can be useful for visualizing the day.
I really appreciated the point about telling kids what you see when screens start affecting their behavior—naming it helps them connect the dots themselves. I’ve been trying to give my daughter more unstructured time lately, and it’s amazing how quickly she finds creative ways to play once she’s away from devices. For anyone looking for more insights on this, I found some helpful discussions over at Bizarre Lineage Wiki.
This is a really practical take on a challenge so many families are facing. The point about teaching kids how screens make them feel tired and stressed is something I never thought to explain so directly. I also found more context on this issue over at Neverness to Everness Wiki, which breaks down the game mechanics in a way that helps me understand my own kid's screen habits better.
It’s wild how much more screen time kids have now, and that tip about telling them what you see when screens cause emotional behavior is something I hadn’t thought of. I’ve been looking for practical ways to handle this, and SubtitleOps seems to have some helpful tools for tracking those patterns.