Screen Time Rules for Kids

Do you feel like you need some new screen time rules for your kids? There’s a good chance that your kids have consumed an increased amount of screen time during the pandemic. Whether it’s for work, school, or pleasure—we’ve all been home more and utilizing new devices in new ways. But what hasn’t changed is the self-blame and criticism we place on ourselves as parents for giving our children “too much” screen time.



Because “good parents don’t let their kids have too much screen time.”  Right?



Have you have internalized the message that the quantity of screen time your child consumes correlates with the quality of your parenting?



I know that I have. From the earliest days of pregnancy, I indulged in books on brain development that touted the benefits of going screen-free in the early years. Therefore, in the first years of my parenthood journey, my son was screen-free.



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When I had baby #2, I had it all planned out. I set up the new nursery to have an extra-wide rocking chair so that my toddler son could rock with me while I nursed the baby. I arranged a reading corner in her room to relax and flip through books while I got his sister ready for naps. But as it turns out, those preparations would mostly be rooted in idealism.



Because my toddler wanted nothing to do anything other than crawling all over me while I was tending to the baby’s needs. When I realized that there was no reading nook or rocking chair that would keep him contained and safe for the time I needed to focus on a new baby, I introduced screen time for him shortly after she was born. 



Now that’s not to say that it’s impossible to raise children without screens, I know people do it all the time. This is just my experience. Perhaps for some children, these quiet activities would work—but they did not work for my child.



When I introduced screen time, I felt an incredible amount of guilt. Because “good parents don’t let their toddlers watch TV”, right? I had developed some strong core beliefs around screen time and children, and I felt like I wasn’t measuring up to the ideals I laid out for myself. 



So I started to let my son watch a 20-minute show each time I needed to get his sister down for a nap. That 20-minutes allowed me to focus on nurturing her and get to know her sleep/feeding rhythms. Those 20-minute mini-breaks gave me room to breathe.



I needed those 20-minute breaks.



If I could rewind the clock and give myself advice, it would be this: Give yourself grace. You are doing your best. And that is more than good enough. 



If you aren’t feeling good about your kid’s screen use, you can make a change. That’s what we are talking about today: The Do’s and Don’ts of Screen time Rules for Kids.




Want to chat live with Denaye about screen time? Click here.








Do Uncover Your Why



First, start by uncovering your "why." As parents, there is a reason we give our children screen time. If the amount of screen time we give our kids doesn’t feel right, we need to look further at why we are permitting it.



Many technology-savvy families feel that children need to learn how to use screens early so that they don’t fall behind.