The challenges and consequences surrounding children’s screen use are a leading concern for UK families.
One especially difficult challenge is the resistance, arguments and emotional battles – “techno-tantrums” – that can follow when parents ask children to end a screen-based activity or refuse children’s requests to start one. Most families with young children experience these at least occasionally and, for some, frequently.
It’s especially hard for children to move away from a screen because digital content is designed to be engaging. Content developers’ monetisation models usually require this to justify the expense to develop that content. At a minimum, this typically involves using bright colours and fast-paced content with quick and unpredictable transitions, as well as other cues to capture and hold attention. Algorithms ensure you mostly see what would be most interesting to you.
More contentiously, many examples of digital content for children include features that, in the most generous interpretation, persuade children to make choices they might not otherwise have made and may not be in their interests.
Examples include a beloved character encouraging the child to select a particular in-app option, exploiting the child’s emotional attachment with that character. Limited-time pay-to-play offers are presented to compel a quick decision, when slower deliberation may have led to a different choice.
A consequence is that children’s digital activity no longer unfolds solely based on their preferences and interests. Instead, digital design features aim to capture and hold children’s attention, motivate certain decisions over others, and, after digital activity has ended, hasten their return.
This battle between the gratification of continuing screen use or putting down the device when it is required or in one’s best interest is not unique to children. Parents report high rates of technoference – when their own digital activity impedes, interrupts or worsens interactions with their child. Children have even less ability to resist these lures and tactics to engage and sustain their attention.
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This does not mean families should resign to a losing battle, or that all digital activity is inherently bad. There are things we can do to help, and at the same time establish foundations for children to better self-regulate their own digital activity and prepare for the digital demands in their future.
1. Give slower-paced options
Provide children with digital options that have slower paced, educational content and more active engagement. Be wary of apps, platforms and programs high in persuasive design features. This will ensure children engage with digital content better aligned in content, pace and design to their developmental needs. Some reputable sources offer expert reviews and ratings of digital content for children.
2. Join in with children’s screen use
One of the largest reviews of research to date found a small association between children’s screen time and negative outcomes. Notably, though, some effects flipped positive when adults were engaged alongside children. Using a screen together helps families understand what their children are viewing and doing on digital devices. It also allows for shared interests, experiences and conversations during and after digital activity.
3. Be careful using screens as a distraction
Try to limit giving children digital devices to keep them occupied or calm them down. Children’s ability to deal with boredom, frustration, excitement or other emotions at times that might be especially undesirable to parents – in a doctor’s office, at a restaurant or on a long car ride – requires that they encounter and learn to manage these emotions. Children won’t learn to manage challenges they haven’t encountered.
4. Establish a routine
Set clear and shared expectations of your child’s digital activity ahead of time and apply these consistently. This might be set periods in which digital activity is more commonly permissible (such as a family movie night), a restricted range of digital options from which they can choose, and a consistent location and duration of play.
Have a plan and let the child know what comes next. Having even a short yet fun transitional activity can help: an obstacle course, a game or asking your child questions about their interests related to the digital content.
Provide warnings in the lead-up to transition. Give them one or two warnings before the end of the digital play, reminding them what will follow next: “In five minutes we will turn this off and get ready for the park.”
Where possible, give children some control over the transition. No one likes having to stop before (what feels like) an activity’s natural completion. Children might be given some control over this by being given the responsibility to turn off the device when time is up or having a say in what follows next.
New routines are rarely immediately effective or without growing pains as families adjust. However, consistent use of approaches like these are reported to help children’s transitions away from digital devices, while also creating the conditions for beneficial digital engagement.
