A Drama-Free (well, almost) Strategy for Managing Screen Time

A Drama Free Strategy for Managing Screen Time by Saleema Noon has been shared with Burnaby School District (THANK YOU!!) *Please download linked article.

This resource couldn’t come at a better time! As students find themselves navigating the tricky world of on-line conversations, social media and ever-increasing screen time, how should parents know just how much screen time is actually ok?! Saleema Noon (revered Sexual Health Educator) has created a well-researched, coles-notes version of how we, ourselves, can navigate such choppy waters. In her words:

“This resource may be more aptly titled “Smart Things I Wish I Had Known, Done and Said About Screen Time” as much of it reflects my own experience as a parent in the screen time trenches with my now-adult stepdaughters. I fully respect and
 acknowledge that different approaches work for different parenting styles, so please take what feels right for your family and leave the rest! – Saleema 💗 

  • Too much screen time has been linked in research to mental health challenges such as depression,
    anxiety and low self-esteem. (Psychology Today, 2021)
  • There is a movement, supported by top technology innovators, that strongly recommends children
    do not have smartphones until age 14 (grade 8) and are not given a data plan until age 16 (grade 11
    or 12). (www.waituntil8th.org)
  • 8- to 12-year-olds in the US use screens for entertainment for an average of 4 hours, 44 minutes a
    day, and 13- to 18-year-olds are on screens for an average of 7 hours, 22 minutes each day. These
    numbers don’t count time using screens for schoolwork or homework. (Common Sense Media,
    2019)
  • Two University of Ottawa studies have consistently found the best mental health and cognitive
    outcomes in teens who do one hour of physical activity each day, sleep 8 to 10 hours a day and use
    screens recreationally less than two hours a day. (Common Sense Media, 2019)
  • Many teens report that they want to put their screen down but they just can’t. (Psychology Today,
    2021)
  • No parent has ever said, “I wish I got my kid a phone earlier!”

*Please check the full resource (linked above) for more information. I am sure you will be glad that you did!