Blog

From Boredom to Brilliance: Managing Screen Time for Kids During Summer

With summer upon us, everyone at Wise Family Wellness is just as eager as your little ones to enjoy vacations, family time, and outdoor fun. However, managing screen time for kids during summer presents unique challenges in our increasingly digital world. This article shares expert insights on managing screen time, encouraging creativity, and finding a healthy balance with technology during these sunny months.

Katie Thompson, Supervisee in Social Work

Summer is finally here, and at Wise Family Wellness, we are just as excited as your little ones to be traveling, spending some time with family and friends, and enjoying being outside (when it’s not too hot)! However, summer presents a new set of challenges for kids and teens in an increasingly digital world.

In my eyes, summer is the perfect storm for abusing screen time. Just think about it, their schedule has completely changed, they may not have as much time with friends as they usually do, most parents continue to work through summers, and practically everyone they know is on social media or has a tablet/TV they love to spend time with.

How do we ensure kids have the space to be creative, explore, try new things, and use their imagination? More importantly, how do we teach kids to be comfortable and content with ‘boredom’?

Unfortunately, in a society that reveres social media and the time spent on screens, we have become less and less comfortable with experiencing boredom. We are eager to be entertained… all the time. In moments of pause, we pick up our phones. We relax by throwing on a show or a movie. Our kids are learning to relax this way too.

Therefore, this summer I would encourage you to lean into boredom. To the best of your ability, resist the urge to run to the nearest Target and buy all the activities and stimulants you can to keep your child entertained. Resist giving in to more screen time. Instead, embrace what your child might discover about themselves and the world around them in moments of boredom. They might just fall in love with a hobby that doesn’t involve screens!

Deedra Everett, Supervisee in Social Work

By now, every parent has heard about the negative effects of screen time, and now there is pressure to limit how much time our kids spend on screens. Yet managing that time can feel overwhelming to parents when the kids are pushing for more, and more, and more. Here are some strategies that may help keep up the fight:

• Clear Rules: Define when and where screens are allowed. For example, no devices during meals or one hour before bedtime. Try including a maximum number of hours per day.
• Be a Role Model: I know it’s hard when work and life happen, but try to practice what you preach, and limit your own screen use during certain times of the day.
• Do Stuff: Encourage your kids to do other activities and interests and plan stuff to do together. Bike rides, board games, outings, errands… ideally you can create a family culture of doing rather than watching.
• Lock It Down: Many devices have built-in parental controls to limit screen time. Click here for Apple devices. Click here for Android devices.
• Tell Them What’s Up: Let your kids know that research shows that too much screen time is proven to not be good, and you want what’s best for them, just as you encourage them to eat veggies and brush their teeth (and they are always down for that, right?)
  

Melissa Weinstein, Graduate Level Intern

Social media can be an enticing platform full of new, eye-catching information all from the comfort of a phone. But, it can also bring darkness and negativity to one’s life. Like most things in life, there needs to be a balanced social media use to protect an individual’s mental well-being. If an individual wishes to participate and be engaged in the world of social media, it’s important to maintain a healthy relationship with it and learn when to put it away.

When asked for advice about healthy boundaries with social media, a therapist will likely advise their client to be cautious with the information they absorb and not believe everything they see. A therapist might share with their clients to be cognizant of what they post and comment on because the internet is forever, whether we like it or not. The most important piece of advice that a therapist might give is to only be on social media if it makes the recipient happy, be selective in what kinds of content is being viewed, and set time limits.

As summer unfolds, it’s important to balance fun and relaxation with mindful technology use. By managing screen time for kids during summer and encouraging creative activities, you can help your children make the most of their break. Remember, a little boredom can lead to big discoveries. Embrace the opportunities for growth and exploration that come with unplugged time, and watch your kids flourish in new and exciting ways.

At Wise Family Wellness, we’re here to support you and your family every step of the way. If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to contact us or schedule a consultation.

Until next time, Be Wise!