Tips Regarding Screen Time | The Child Behaviour Consultancy

The following are some helpful tips regarding screen time for parents, devised by a Behaviour Analyst.

1) Don’t Allow Free Access To Screens – Too much access to screens is known to have a negative impact on child behaviour.

2) Set Rules & Boundaries Regarding It – Behaviour Therapists point out that an important part of parenting is setting rules & boundaries so that your child knows what is & isn’t allowed. This helps reduce the chances of arguments, etc., as the child knows the rules & they also know that you are consistent with it, so there is no point in debating it. This helps in having a more calm, peaceful home environment, where there is a lot less arguments.

3) Set A Time Limit & Stick To It – Setting & sticking to time limits surrounding screens is one of those helpful tips regarding screen time that is so important. It can help to eliminate sibling rivalry in terms of bickering between siblings as to who got longer on the screens, etc. It makes things fair which in turn leads to less negative behaviour as a result.

4) Do A Countdown To Mentally Prepare Your Child For Screen Time Coming To An End – By doing a countdown this allows for the child to have a heads up that they will soon have to come off screens. If parents do not give the child a countdown, the child can get absorbed in the game/show, & then all of a sudden the parent steps in & says that it is all done. This can be difficult for the child to accept when they do not get a pre-warning which can result in them having difficulty managing anger, & so may present with tantrums, & other behaviour challenges. However studies in the field of Behaviour Analysis show that by implementing a countdown, this can help the situation to go more smoothly.

5) Monitor What Your Child Watches/Plays While Having Access To Screens – What a child is exposed to, can greatly impact on how they behave. This is why it is crucial for parents to install apps that allows them to monitor & control what their child is watching.

6) Set By Example By Not Always Being On Screens Yourself (Phone, TV, Laptop, Etc.) – When parents say one thing & do another, Child Therapists highlight that this can lead to anger & resentment from the child. For example, when parents tell the child off for being on screens too long, when they themself are always on their phone/watching TV, etc. Alongside this, when parents spend too much time on screens, & not enough time giving their child the time & attention they need, this can then lead to the child presenting with attention seeking behaviours.



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