From Psychology Today comes this piece by Charles H. Browning on how to dial down time on devices and emphasize family closeness:
“Children and teens are constantly attached to devices, intruding on and disrupting quality family time. Research in the Journal of Family Psychology has shown that excessive screen use among adolescence is directly associated with higher levels of family conflict and decreased family satisfaction, as well as other mental health issues (Coyne et al., 2014). Many tech companies intentionally incorporate cleverly enticing ‘bait’ to captivate young minds. . . .
Research published in the journal BMC Public Health found that excessive screen time among adolescents is associated with an increased risk of poor mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety (Tang et al., 2020). These problems affect not only the individual child but also have profound implications for family harmony and intimacy. . . .
- Have a Family Meeting to Create a United Action Plan.
Involve your entire family in an open and calm discussion about unhealthy screen indulgence, what it is, and how it happens to all of us. Sit down together, have some snacks and treats, and have a relaxed, honest conversation about the harmful effects of excessive screen time on each person and the whole family.”
***
More from Around the Web
More from Mad in the Family
