46 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com “During the school year and on the weekends, the only rule is that you must be prepared for the day to start before screens go on and that includes the television. Teeth have to be brushed and you have to be dressed,” Fritz laughed. The Fritz family adjusts during the summer, when the structure of a classroom isn’t part of the boys’ day. “We’ve developed a system where the boys collect points to, well, not earn screen time per se, but earn free time for themselves, including iPad, gaming or phone time,” Fritz explained. “We have five categories where points are earned: physical, which is exercise, yard work or chores; mental, where they read, learn something new, study a subject or get lost in their own thoughts, as long as they write those thoughts down; spiritual, for church attendance or time spent praying; charity, for volunteering for either formal charities or outreach programs; and fellowship points, earned by meaningful interaction with friends and other people. Once enough points are earned, their time is theirs. If they choose screen time, I’m OK with that because they’ve at least spent time developing skills we believe are healthy and important. By going this route, screen time becomes a fun, useful tool that happens to be a small part of a bigger life instead of feeling like it’s their whole life.” That loosely structured set of rules may work for some children, while others might need more definitive boundaries. Liechty suggested that parents utilize the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations as a guide: • 0 - 18 months, no screen time; • 18 - 24 months, no screen time unless video chatting with family; • Until the age of 6, an hour or less a day of educational use with parental interaction; • Ages 6 and above: monitoring time and content. There are supportive resources available if you feel that your family is struggling with managing time and content. Websites such as connectsafely.org/family-contract-smartphone-use offer helpful information including family contracts for smartphone use, safety tips and resources for youth in crisis. SIGNS OF ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR • Intense urgency to use your phone or other device; • Spending more time on devices than was first intended; • Neglecting other more important things in favor of the device; • Continued use of any device, despite knowing it could have negative effects on other areas of your life, including sleep or schoolwork. SCREEN TIME By the Numbers Children AGES 8-10 spend SIX HOURS a day in front of screens using entertainment media. Children AGES 11-14 spend NINE HOURS a day in front of screens using entertainment media. Children AGES 15-18 spend 7.5 HOURS a day in front of screens using entertainment media. Source: Infographics - Screen Time vs. Lean Time | DNPAO | CDC.
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