Online or offline? Parents are struggling with their children’s screen time use

The internet is all around us and like it or not, your children are going to be using it.

The question is, what is the right approach to screens and internet usage amongst children and young people?

A new report by Norton has found that parents are struggling to enforce the right screen time routines at home.

Over half of UK adults surveyed think that technology and mobile devices can foster problem-solving, learning skills and creativity, yet parents are worried about the potential impact devices can have on sleep, energy levels, social skills and mental health.

On average, British children are getting their first connected device at the age of nine, so it’s more important than ever to have these discussions.

Before parents implement the right screen time rules for their offspring, they need to look a little closer to home. According to the results, 77 per cent of adults think they are setting a bad example with their own screen time use.

“It’s become second nature, we always have our phones in our hands,” Orla Cox, director of security response at Symantec, Norton’s parent company, told the Standard. “I think some of the advice we want to give to our children is maybe advice we need to take on board ourselves.”

Where to start with screen time rules

As part of the research, Norton has put together some practical tips to enforce screen time routines in the home. These include things such as setting limits on screen time, encouraging children to discuss their online activities with the parents, talk about the risks of posting and sharing private information on social media, and ways to look out for harmful content.

One tip that Cox thinks is especially important is for parents to encourage their children to use their devices in communal spaces in the home.

“[You] don’t want them disappearing up to their bedrooms, to be locked away for a few hours where we don’t know what they’re doing up there. The openness about being about to do it in plain sight and build conversations around it, that’s when you build healthy relationships and hopefully get that balance as well,” said Cox.

As we're coming up to the Christmas holidays, children are going to be spending more time at home, which means more time to play online. If there’s one rule families should implement, Cox believes it is establishing set screen time periods.

“It’s a very basic one, but it’s the most effective,” she said. “It’s just getting that habit and routine in place, and getting them used to knowing this is my time to get online and that outside it isn’t.

“And abide by it yourself. It’s not fair if you’re blocking someone’s access when you’re still sitting on your phone, so maybe make it a family thing."

Tech giants such as Apple and Google have recently added screen time features to their devices so you can monitor your own usage, including how much time you’re spending on apps like Instagram and Facebook. Cox thinks applying checks on our screen time are important.

“With some of these social media sites, do you really need to be checking them before you go to bed? It’s about [checking] habits like that,” she added.

Overall, there’s no use introducing draconian measures that you or your children won’t stick to.

“We need to be realistic,” said Cox. “We’re getting to the stage now where saying no screen time is not feasible, so it’s about recognising that children are going to be online but make sure that it’s done in a controlled manner.”

Norton’s Screen Time Tips:

Set house rules and guidance: set limits on screen time, the type of content they access online and the appropriate tone of language to use. These should vary depending on age and maturity

Communal spaces: encourage children to go online in communal spaces so they don’t feel the need to hide when they are using the internet

Open dialogue: speak to your children about internet use and the dangers, such as cyberbullying

Think before click: whether its online video sites or receiving emails from an unknown address, remind your children not to click on unknown links as they may take them to dangerous or inappropriate sites

Look out for harmful content: use smart family security and parental web safety tools, as well as built-in security settings in your browser to keep the family safe online

Risk of social posts: discuss the risks of posting and sharing private information, videos and photographs on social media

Role model: your children will learn from your behaviour, so lead by example

Security software: use trusted security software to help keep your children and devices safe online

For more information on cyber safety and security for children, visit Norton's Cyber Safety for Kids resources page