How Much Screen Time for Kids is Too Much?

In my house, one of the main fights we have with our kids is often over how much time my kids can spend on their devices. We’ve come a long way from being able to entertain our kids by sending them outside with a bike. The only crazier concern than our electronic devices running our adult lives is our kids’ electronic devices running theirs. With everything phones and tablets can accomplish, it’s no wonder why kids are spending more than seven hours a day looking at screens. Unfortunately I’ve noticed too much screen time causes issues with how they deal with communication, relationships and their mental health. Just like the push for work and personal life integration, we as parents have to balance the great things we can do with technology, with the ability to truly connect with our family and friends. Here are some ways that I work hard to make sure my daughters aren’t over-using their devices.

Central Charging Station

One of the best things I’ve done to help make sure my kids’ devices aren’t interfering with their sleep is set up a central charging station in the kitchen. LED’s, fluorescent bulbs, blue light, and all other forms of artificial light can be harmful to normal sleeping patterns. Your body has a circadian rhythm, basically meaning your body’s clock determines how tired you are based on the amount of darkness or light you are exposed to. 

Not only does the artificial light from devices affect your circadian rhythm, but also the blue light being emitted from the screens is proven to boost attention, reaction times, and mood. I have my kids plug their devices into the central charging station at least 30 minutes before bedtime to make sure artificial and blue light don’t interrupt their sleep patterns. This definitely was a fight for the first few weeks but both my daughters have reluctantly admitted they slept better without the devices in their bedrooms.

Screen Time Replacement Options

Ok, great. Now we got our kids off their screens for at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Now what?

If you can’t replace that screentime with something that can relax them and get them ready for bed, then what’s the point? My favorite options for replacing before-bed screen time are board games, reading, and next day prep.

Games tend to be the favorite fun option for pre-bedtime activities. They can give us some quality family time, work off some remaining energy from the day, instead of TV games can distract our kids from worries about the next day and relax their mind to prepare for bed. My daughter’s favorite games before bedtime are Skipbo, Life or Monopoly. Here are other card games you can look into.

Reading before bedtime has scientifically been proven to reduce stress, improve your memory, and help you sleep. Sitting down before bed and opening up a book even for as little as six minutes can slow down your heart rate and ease tension in your muscles. If I can help my daughters find a book that captures their interest to read every night before bedtime, I’m all for it!

Finally, getting ready for the next day ahead is another strong option for replacing screen time before bed. I’ll have my girls make sure all of their homework is done for the night, help them pack their lunch, and let them pick out their outfit, or uniform, for the next day. This option tends to make mornings a lot easier.

Whatever it is that your kids might like to do before bedtime aside from using their devices, I would highly recommend making time for those alternatives. With this system, my daughters are getting better sleep and are more prepared to conquer whatever is thrown their way each and every day.

I’d love to hear from you on how you replace your kids’ screen time before bed!