How much screen time is too much?

[Applesandblueberries]

I started the summer holidays trying to limit DCs (8 and 11) screen time (all computer/TV) time to 2 hours a day. But this is steadily going to pot.

As well as the obvious screens for gaming and TV, they want/need them for listening to music (Spotify) and doing their dance routines, researching random things about authors they are reading, looking up things on Amazon for what to spend their birthday money on, and doing some holiday maths work. And don't get me started on texting friends! (Which I'm encouraging as DC is starting secondary and trying to forge new friendships.)

How much screen time do your DC have in the hols and do you differentiate between 'good' and 'bad' screen time? If such a thing exists! 😂

Oops - didn't mean to add voting. Please ignore that bit.

Mine are older than that now at 13 and 15, but when they were the ages yours are, especially the youngest, I used an idea I got from here. It was something like they needed to do a physical activity, go outside for a bit, read, do something for the household, do something with family, in any day, unless we had a big day out, in which case they could do what they liked the rest of the time. It pretty much worked for a bit and only really fell apart during lockdown, after which I never regained the same amount of control.

So much is screen-based now so if they are doing a variety of stuff rather than mindlessly shooting zombies or watching crap on Tiktok and there are days when you go out anyway I think it's all okay, really.

At 8 and 11 our rules were generally no limits on screen time as long as the following boxes were ticked:

all homework done (during term time)
all chores done (both routine and one-off)
been outside and moved around - played footy, walk in the park, whatever
Spent some time communicating with human beings - friends, family etc.
Acted like a normal, polite, human being all day
Stopping without complaint when told to, for whatever reason - to eat dinner, do a chore etc.

I took the view (still do) that the above constitutes all the things my kids have to do, and that they can choose what they want to do with their free time outside that.

We are a pretty low screen/low tech family, but for me it is not the amount of time but what they are doing on there that counts, os yes I do differentiate between good and bad.

If mine were coding or watching something educational or using it to play music (they had some programmes for this) that would bother me less than if they were watching nonsense on Youtube/Tiktok/whatever (which I wouldn't have allowed at the age yours are).

I think it depends on the use of it,
Like using spotify to play music whilst you dance or draw etc I would not count as screen time, as its similar to having the radio on and you are not even looking at the screen much.
The internet is great for looking stuff up so honestly I wouldn't limit that much either, as you are learning and its good to be able to research things on your own.
If you are encouraging messaging friends then I would say that is probably good too, not endlessly but especially if it leads to hanging out in person or better friendships for school time it is likely to be beneficial.

The stuff I would limit is watching tv and mindless scrolling, as it doesn't have many benefits and although nice in moderation, too much is overwhelming and can take over the day

I don't have "limits" because it creates a forbidden fruit mentality. So screen time is unlimited but it is his down time activity. So life is busy, active and sociable and screens fill the bits in between. Because they're not limited this mostly works well and there's nothing to battle over. I'm not sure what I'd do if he started refusing to do other things in favour of gaming though...that would probably force me to rethink the strategy.

Thanks these comments are helpful. And it's good others agree on good versus bad screen time. Though I know it is a bit debatable what is what.
Interesting that some do not have screen limits at all. I know some of DCs friends are like this. I honestly think if I did that they would be on the computer ALL the time. Though I appreciate the novelty might wear off. I've noticed if mine spend too much time just gaming/watching TV they get bad tempered/difficult so I'm too scared to try that approach 😂.