How much screentime is too much? Ask these questions instead

When it comes to our children’s use of the screens the focus for many is to look at issues of overuse and concentrate on ways to keep device use under control. We ask questions like how much is too much? What time limits should I set? How many hours for a pre-schooler or a primary student? A tween? A teen? How Do I get them to unplug, turn it off, do their homework?

Certainly wanting to curtail obsessive use and ensure there is plenty of time for other necessary life experiences is a valid motive for parents. These questions may well be necessary in a world where screens and devices have become so firmly entrenched in so many aspects of our lives.
But there are also other more pertinent questions we need to be asking of young people’s screentime (and our own), rather than those that simply focus on ‘how much’.