How to Tell if Your Child is Spending Too Much Time Online 🎥

In the digital age, it’s difficult for kids and parents to put our devices down because they’re designed to be addictive. But how much screen time is too much?

Michael Preston, Executive Director at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, sat down with Keri Rodrigues, President of the Parents National Union, Kate Dias, President of the Connecticut Education Association, and Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble, Psychologist, Author, and Founder of The AAKOMA Project, to discuss the lesser-known signs that your child is spending too much time online.

Our experts suggest that parents pay attention to how children’s behavior both on and off their devices. If parents notice a significant change in their child’s behavior, it may be time to re-examine their screen time limits. Have open conversations about screen time with your child to figure out what they’re doing online, how they’re engaging with the content, and why they have such an interest in it. Even if your child is having a positive internet experience, it’s important to remember that too much of anything is never a good thing.

Here are 3 key signs that parents should look out for:

Inability to be present at the dinner table and family gatherings

If your child can’t even put down their device to enjoy their ravioli, and you’re constantly hearing videos playing in the background, there may be a problem. Make sure that your child can disconnect from their device during special family time.

Social isolation

When kids are online a lot, they tend to pull away from their peers and social activities, often to spend even more time online.

Anxiety

Anxiety can manifest from a lack of time with family and friends, so make sure that your child is finding time for offline activities. An anxious child may also have trouble sleeping, become disobedient, or have an influx of negative thoughts. The internet’s overstimulation of imagery and sound can cause children to have sensory overload, even when disconnected from their devices.

Stay on top of not only how many hours your child spends online, but how that time is affecting them. This will allow you to identify whether or not your child needs you to step in.