Relax! Screens can be positive

More than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, many Australians are grappling with concerns about excessive screen use and the long-term implications for physical and mental health, particularly in children.

Current guidelines suggest no screen time for kids under 18 months, other than video chatting, and a limit of one hour per day for kids from ages two to five.

It’s guilt-inducing stuff and a lofty goal, especially in the midst of a pandemic.

Given studies from before the coronavirus outbreak suggested more than 80 per cent of parents were concerned about the amount of time their children spend on devices, the pandemic has only made this even more of an issue.

Add to that endless headlines warning of the toxic effects digital devices have on children and it’s little wonder parents are having a hard time navigating this area.

What’s reassuring is that many academics are now rejecting the official guidelines, noting that they are too rigid and based on wobbly science.

Curtin University physiotherapy professor Leon Straker says the truth is no one really knows if screen time is damaging our children because there is not enough scientific evidence to prove it.

That’s partly because researchers can’t keep up with the rapidly changing technological landscape in order to deliver the high-quality evidence policymakers need to develop firm guidelines for parents.

Instead, the opinion of a growing number of child development experts worldwide is it is probably OK for children to have more screen time, but parents should try to opt for high-quality content.

A similar sentiment was reflected in a major Telethon Kids Institute CoLab report in which Donna Cross, a respected professor, noted the official guidelines do not necessarily reflect the more active and positive ways that children can use screens, including using devices to interact with family members or enhance creativity.

Professor Straker says this should be encouraging news for parents who, in these unprecedented times, have needed to relax their screen time rules to survive the juggle of working from home and childcare duties.

“Screen time can be used to encourage cognitive development, creative thinking and physical activity,” he explains.

“If a young child is sitting down with a parent and sibling and they are reading a storybook together on a screen, that is socially good, cognitively really good and just because it is on a screen does not make it bad and it should not add up to problematic time on the screen.”

In fact, rather than panic in the face of questionable evidence, he says parents who are concerned their children spend too long gazing at screens can find ways to make it more beneficial for them.

For parents of young children, this means being selective with the range of apps and programs offered. ABC Kids, for example, airs shows that are made in consultation with child development experts, he says.

Professor Cross says screen time does have the potential to detract from healthy child development, depending on how it is used. Professor Straker says when it can become problematic is if a child is “getting so engaged with that particular activity that it interferes with other aspects of their life”. “But if the kids are doing well in family and peer relationships and are physically active then it is probably going OK,” he says.

“Parents should not feel guilty for letting their kids watch age-appropriate screens for a while as a way of relaxing because that is also a perfectly happy, healthy thing to be doing. There’s lots of really good things you can be doing on screens that can help children turn into happy, healthy citizens of Australia.”

He says the important message for parents is what children do on their devices matters more than the time spent on them.

As for concerns about the rise in children who are overweight and obese, which threatens the future of their health, Professor Straker points out that screen use is only part of the problem.

“There is an issue with sitting too much with children and adults in our society and screens can contribute to that but not only screens,” he says.

“The physical effects of sitting aren’t any different if you are on a screen or reading a book.

“Something parents don’t think about is that the screen can be used as a trigger for being physically active and there are good resources available now to help parents think differently and use screens to spark doing something that is more physically active.”

Ultimately, the current guidelines don’t do justice to the sheer diversity of content that screen-based technology can provide, he says, nor do they take into account many of the variables that at work within individual families. “Parents who took the route to ban or limit screens to 30 minutes a day are finding those simple rules don’t really work any more because it’s a more complex environment now and kids have to be engaged with screens for things like schoolwork. There is also more recognition now of the beneficial parts,” he adds.

Perth mum’s change of screen

Seville Grove mum Natalee Graveson decided to impose strict limits on her daughter Ashlee’s screen time after she started noticing some downsides to her behaviour.

By age four, Ashlee’s screen time was up to four hours a day.

“She was watching a lot of Peppa Pig and all those YouTube channels that show other children playing with toys and basic things like getting her into the shower were becoming really hard because she didn’t want to turn off the iPad and she was having meltdowns,” Ms Graveson says.

Concerned about the impact digital devices were having on Ashlee’s health and wellbeing, and no longer willing to compete with a screen for her daughter’s attention, Ms Graveson cracked down. Ashlee, now seven, is not allowed screens after 4pm and spends less than an hour a day on them.

“We are at the point where we don’t even have to enforce the limits because she’s in the habit,” Ms Graveson says. “She’s sleeping better and we’ve found it’s encouraged more creative play and she’ll automatically pick other things to do like Lego or piano.”

Screens still have a place in the household, she adds, but spending less time on them has given Ashlee the space to pursue other more enriching activities. During lockdowns and school holidays she has loved crafting using Cricut, a cutting machine. Ashlee sometimes uses an app on her iPad to create designs but Ms Graveson says it’s a positive way for her to interact with technology.

“We have made T-shirts and bags with Cricut by cutting and ironing on our own designs,” Ms Graveson says, adding that creating her own things to wear and play with has been immensely satisfying for Ashlee.

“We used the machine to cut out different-shaped stamps for painting and even made our own face masks.

“I’ve noticed since changing the way we think about screens we’ve been doing so many more creative, fun things.”

Tips for using screens to encourage physical activity

Watch videos set in places you’d like to visit together. For example, you could watch a video set at a beach, then go to the local beach.

Choose videos or apps that encourage your child to dance and sing along, or games that involve moving, like dancing games or virtual sports simulators.

Bring your child’s screen time interests into off-screen play. For example, your child could dress up as a favourite TV character or use dolls and figurines to act out scenes.

How to be a role model for combining screen time with physical activity

Show your child how you track your physical activity. You can talk about how good it feels to see how far you walked, cycled, swam or ran last week.

Show your child how you look up instructional videos before you do things that are physically active. For example, watch a video on how to pot a plant and then go outside and plant one.

Share your favourite physical activity apps with your child, for example, apps that guide you through dance or yoga. You could also try different yoga poses or dance routines together.

Find more healthy screen tips at raisingchildren.net.au