How much daily screen time do you let your DC have?

[MrsJamin]

DS1 is increasingly addicted to screens at the tender age of 4. We have various "screens", tv, ipad, ps3 and laptop and have no idea how to fairly manage his use of them throughout the day. His ability on some apps is frightening! I need to set up some rules or time limits but I don't know where to start or how to divide it fairly over the different devices. I don't know what is worse, tv or gaming, for eg.
Can you let me know how you manage screen time? How old are your children and how many hours minutes do you let them have?

Ours varies a lot (DCs aged 2.5 and 5.5). Some days none, on a rainy weekend, up to about 3 hours TV.

They've only just become interested in the iPad though and I haven't quite decided how I feel about computer games. Do people not judge them differently to watching television, which is passive? Admittedly computer games are still very sedentary, but playing a game can be educational and challenging. We'd all think our kids were the bee's knees if they were playing board games.

Should have said my children would have the telly on all day every day if they had the choice.

DS1 is 3.5 and DS2is 2 and they watched selected movies on the ipad only when there is a babysitter(about 2 or 3 times a month).
we've tried once to let them watch the ipad in the car on a long journey and as a result, they did not fall asleep until 2am, were very grumpy and cried everytime i tried to stop the cartoon- so now theryes no cartoon in the car either.
we dont have a tv ourselves and no video games either. just the ipad and they are not allowed on the laptops/computers.

they play very well together with their toys and are rarely bored.

Ok, Aric Sigman might not be everyone's favourite psychologist, but his book on TV is well researched, it's not as if he's the only one who is saying too much screen time is bad for kids. Read Sue Palmer, 'Detoxing Childhood', read 'Bowling Alone' by Robert Putnam if you don't like Sigman. Or the Lancet studies or the Pediatrics studies, the ones that link ADHD and Autism to TV.

And not being funny OP but what does a 4yr old need with a PS3, what PS3 games cater for 4 yr olds? Not only that, what does a 4yr old need with an IPad? It's not like you're talking about just TV is it?

OP, your son is my son! Same age, same screen interest and extremely similar daily screen schedule. I'm torn on the whole issue, depending on my mood that day. Yes, I probably would like to cut it down a bit; but at the same time I'm not wholly sure why it bothers me. My mum always bangs on about how antisocial it is - but she never worried about me spending hour after hour buried in books. Yes, it is sedentary - but he usually only has it at times when we'd be indoors anyway, like straight after breakfast or when the baby's asleep.

I look more kindly on the PC than the TV; it's more interactive, and very educational (he has basically taught himself to read and some basic maths through the net). As for the link with autism etc, I suspect it's more that that type of child is drawn to IT. DS1 had Aspergers traits before he ever saw a screen (though we don't think he actually has AS), and the type of personality he has is naturally drawn to screen entertainment. Obviously I still want him to socialise, but I don't want to deny him the massive pleasure he gets from IT. In short, I'm hoping that starting school in September will take the screen time down to a level I'm happy with, without me having to start a war.

Ablativeabsolute, encouraging that others are in a similar situation. Like you I think a lot will be resolved when he goes to school and has homework & reading book, plus he just won't be at home for as long.
To answer your qu about why a 4 yr old has a ps3 and an iPad, of course these aren't his, the ps3 is DH's and the iPad is mine. He only plays friendly driving games on the ps3, and that's mostly with his dad at the weekend. It doesn't represent a lot of time by itself. He plays a lot of educational things on the iPad, both overtly educational (like interactive books, letters and numbers) but there's lots to be learnt by lots of games and he's getting quite an understanding of number. My background is in education, technology and psychology so i'd like to think I know what I am doing! My main problem with it is to do with eyesight and I don't like the games that raise his cortisol/stress levels (ie complete this before the time runs out) as I think that is damaging in the long run. I find it hilarious that someone would even consider that autism was caused by screen time, just bizarre given the age of onset. DS1 is v sociable and active in his non-screen time, not at all worried about the influence on other areas of his life right now. I think having thought it through I could probably ditch some or all the time after lunch. It's just a lot of time to fill with a little bouncing extrovert, when I just want to be an introvert and have some peace!

I think DC3 has ADHD, he's probably the least interested in screen time of my lot.
TV viewing does not cause ADHD, but it may well be a tempting relief for parents of kids who are prone to it anyway.

My biggest problem with the Sigman advice is that if you really want to follow it, there's no point in having a computer or a telly in your house AT ALL until youngest child is 12. They will be exposed to so much screen time in the course of typical daily life elsewhere (at preschool, at school, with friends, occasional cinema visit, viewing snippets at the supermarket) that they won't have any time left over to use up at home. There will be no such thing as family viewing. No point in having a SmartPhone. No sports or news, either. If your DC don't sleep much (mine don't) the adults will never have time to view screens without them. So only practical to implement if you have No screens at all at home. Unless you want an expensive 32" screen shut up in the corner gathering dust & only used rarely. SIL did just that in the first yrs of her son's life, specifically to prevent ADHD.

Unless you go Steiner, perhaps, or home-ed. Then you might just about have enough allowance left to let your DC aged 7-12 watch a little telly at home as a rare special treat.

I grew up in USA where we all had 99 channels & nothing to watch 30-35 yrs ago. What gets me is that if autism was linked to viewing time, there should have been a big jump 25-30 yrs ago in US diagnoses of the condition. But there wasn't (I think?). The rates have steadily but slowly increased over the decades. Again, it makes sense to think that having autism contributes to child particularly liking screen time, not the other way around.

MrsJamin 'Like you I think a lot will be resolved when he goes to school and has homework & reading book, plus he just won't be at home for as long' - I wouldn't count on it, my DS could happily watch an hour before school and then when he comes in, even if he does 30 minuites homework and reading which is very unlikely that still leaves at least two hours before bedtime .

IWantMyHatBack - I knew my comment would get that sort of reaction from someone - I suppose because DH and I are just not at all into music I find it a bit of an isolating interest - and I just don't like the sort of rubbish that my DS tends to listen to, I guess if it was classical I would approve . I suppose what I am really saying is that I wish my DS would do more things with me or DH like board games etc.

Those of you who have 'family time' every Saturday do you really all interact together the whole day - surely your DC have to amuse themselves at some point ?

Around an hour on sat mornings

Wouldn't have time in the weekday mornings as after getting ready is maybe max 30 mins /1hr before we leave in which they play

Both still nap after lunch but on odd occasions eldest doesn't or if has a short nap then he will sit on sofa an look at books quietly to relax, maybe some music

The only time I'm tempted is if it's been raining days on end and we have been stuck in, but 99% time we find something else.

Think it helps that the tv is in a different room from the one everyone spends most time in.

Loads by the time you factor in iPad plus ICT time at preschool.

I am spectacularly unbothered. I was barely allowed TV as a child, and became fixated.
DS1 self-regulates pretty well, and will go off and play with his Lego or trains or whatever.
He does love the iPad though, and would spend hours if we just left him to it, so we don't.

Age 7. Some days none, some days 3-4 hours. Average probably 1-2 hours.

I've been recommended an hour screen time a day for my 8yr old boy and 10yr old girl. But it all depends... Sometimes none of us watch any, other days a few hours. The only rules are - during the week, homework first. None at the dinner table (talk time!!) and as we only have one TV between the three of us, majority rules.
Unfortunately 'screens' seem to be the future.

Forgot to say earlier, I think it also depends what else they're doing all day. Yesterday, for example, DS1 (who's 4.5) had just over two hours of TV/computer. Which seems quite a lot in isolation, but then seems less when I set it in context (switch off now if you're easily bored ):

7-8am Wake up/dress/breakfast
8-8.30am TV while I wash up etc
8.45-1pm Pre-school - loads of outside play, craft etc
1-1.30pm General downtime with me, couple of books, chat about his day
1.30-2.30 CBeebies website
2.30-3pm Baking cakes with me
3pm-5pm General play at home with his little brother - books, jigsaws, games, making duvet dens, mucking about
5-5.30 Tea
5.30-6pm Playing in the garden with Daddy after work
6-6.30pm Bath
6.30pm - 7.10pm TV
7.10-7.30pm Books in bed then lights out

When I write it down like that, the screen time seems like a pretty small part of an otherwise active and varied day. Whereas if he was having less stimulation/activity/socialising the rest of the time, it would concern me more.

How much do I allow my children (DDs 8 and 5) to have? As much as they want.

How much do they have? As much as they want . However, they lead very active lives and usually prefer to be out riding their bikes, playing on the trampolines or at one of their endless hobbies. For example, they've had no screen time today, or yesterday for that matter... They watched a film at the weekend, and played on their ipods. They genuinely are not that bothered by them and usually half an hour is more than enough.

At present, they have one tv show they really like - Horrible Histories and they probably watch that for a couple of hours each week.

I very strongly suspect though if I had boys, I might have needed to have taken more active interest.

'Regime'? - yuk.

Zero. No tv, no computers.

I have DSes aged 4.2 & 22.5m. I used to let them watch more TV than I do now, but have cut down as was wondering if it contributed to DS2's late start in speaking (but really I think he was just lazy, he is catching up now!)

We have to leave at 8.45 each morning to get DS1 to preschool, so we start getting ready at 8 & if DS1 is ready in good time, I'll allow him to watch Fireman Sam until we have to leave - so max. 40 mins there. Then I try not to have any more TV until after dinner (usually eat at 5.30-6), when it stays on until the end of CBeebies, so max 1 hour there, more usually 30 mins (ITNG for DS2).

In school hols & at weekends they can watch a lot more than this, perhaps twice as much , although at half-term just gone, we were really busy most days so only really did this once.

DS1 also got a LeapPad2 for his birthday just before Christmas. He loves this & would play for hours on it unchecked, but we usually limit it to 30 mins - 1 hour absolute max. He hasn't had it for about a fortnight now & has not asked for it (took it to DPIL's & not unpacked it from laptop bag)

DD (7) and DS (5) are early risers so on school mornings they watch Milkshake (usually Peppa Pig and Ben & Holly) until 7.15am latest - that would be about half an hour. No other screens allowed on school days except mathletics/mathsfactor for DD. Weekend much more relaxed and they use our ipads/DSs for a couple of hours. DH more relaxed than me about it.

FWIW I think they should have less screen time.

as much as they like. there is a lot of middle class moral panic and snobbery about telly etc imo. they mainly prefer playing anyway.

DD (7) and DS (6) are both allowed 20 minutes each on my iPad after they have done all of their homework (which gets given to them in a weekly hit, so this is generally the weekend). Re: tv, we tend not to watch during thje week (occasionally after school on Friday if they are knackered), but they might watch some at the weekend (say a 1/2 hour on sunday morning so we get a bit more sleep), and perhaps a film/DVD. No hand helds, no computer acccess for them. They do have sort of pretend computers and vtech kids cameras that have games on them, and they can play with those, but not if they stop listening or get annoyed with them....

We are horribly strict, as I know they would watch something ALL the time if I let them, plus their behaviour nose dives if they spend too long in front of a screen. Otherwise, they are good readers, play quite nicely and creatively with the usual stuff etc.

I dont set rules but do regulate when needed. Some days dd has none but on some weekend days she may even fit in 3 to 6 hours +, depending on what else is going on other weekends she may have none.

My boys are 13 and 10.

I found this article interesting

DSs (6 and 8) are allowed to watch TV on Friday nights and at weekends - there is no time the rest of the week! In the morning they are getting ready to go to school and the TV is never on. In the afternoons on Monday - Wed they have cubs, swimming etc, and so no time for TV. On Friday night they probably watch about 2 hours (unless they have a playdate, in which case usually none). On Saturday/ Sunday they watch morning TV for an hour or so, and might watch a film or something in the afternoon.

DS1 spends some time at weekends on the computer, but mainly for homework (perhaps an hour, but often less). And they want the Ipad, but don't get it often. DS2 is more insistant.

We don't have many arguments about this.

My DS is the same age as yours OP.

He goes to nursery 3 days a week, Mon-Wed. On those days he watches about 20mins of Cbeebies while I'm gettign stuff ready for work and to get out of the house.
Usually nothing after we come back from nursery, no time really as it's 5.30pm and they usually play or wind each other up (I have a 2.5yr old DD too) while I prepare dinner. If it gets desperate and both are tired, i would put another 20mins or so of Cbeebies, but this happens about once or twice a month.

On Thurs and Fri on my days off I put music on in the morning (my DS loves the Putamayo kids stuff) while we eat breakfast and play for while and then we are out of the house by about 10 and we come back at about 5pm after a day of doing various things. I put on whatever he wants then for about 45min while I'm cooking dinner and to give me a bit of headspace too.

My DD takes a nap after lunch and I take that opportunity to do board games or practise writing with DS, things we can't do when DD is around as she tends to be quite destructive!

At the weekend, no TV in the morning as DH is there to entertain them too if needs be (although my DS is pretty good at imaginary play etc so will play by himself a lot).
We are out most of the day and then when we come back usually we will put something on for 30min-1hr as DS is pretty tired by then.
Once a month or so DS will watch a film, so about 1.5hrs of TV?

We don't have a TV, so it's BBC Iplayer or a DVD. We don't have a DS or Ipad. Sometimes they will play games on my phone for a few mins every now and then.

It's not difficult to limit screen time to an hour IMO.