Here's how your kid's screen time compares with everyone else
A girl uses her smartphone while another girl reads a book. (staged scene) Photo: Annette Riedl/dpa (Photo by Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Parents are increasingly grappling with how much screen time is too much, as many say their children spend more time on phones, tablets, and video games than they’d like.
By the numbers:
According to a Pew Research Center survey, parents were slightly more likely to say their children spend too much time on screens than too little.
For instance, 16% of parents said their child spends too much time on a smartphone, while only 7% said their child spends too little time.
Larger shares—37%—felt their child’s smartphone use was about the right amount, and 39% said their child doesn’t use a smartphone at all.
Parents’ perceptions of their children’s tablet and video game use mirror their views on smartphones. About one-in-five say their child spends too much time on a tablet, and 14% say the same about video games. Larger shares, however, believe their child’s time on these devices is about right.
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When it comes to social media, opinions are more evenly split — 5% of parents say their child spends too much time on these platforms, while 7% say too little. Meanwhile, 17% think the amount of time is about right, and many report that their child doesn’t use social media at all.
Older kids, more screen time concerns,
By the numbers:
Parents of older children are the most likely to say their kids spend too much time on screens — especially smartphones and social media. About one in three parents of 11- and 12-year-olds say their child spends too much time on a smartphone, compared with smaller shares of parents of younger children.
Parents of older kids are also more likely to express concern about video game and tablet use, though 11- to 12-year-olds don’t stand out as much in these areas.
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Still, 22% of parents with children ages 5 to 12 say their child spends too much time on a tablet, compared with 14% of parents with children under 5. A similar pattern appears for video games (19% vs. 4%).
What they're saying:
The question of how much screen time is acceptable sparks mixed emotions for many parents today. In Pew Research Center focus groups, parents expressed a range of perspectives — from setting firm limits to feeling they’ve lost control.
One parent said, "I think an hour is good, or a couple hours throughout the week. … She’ll come home around 5 or 6 o’clock, have some time for electronics or TV, but her phone or tablet gets turned in at 7."
Another parent described feeling resigned to technology’s role in school life: "I feel like my kids shouldn’t be on the internet unless they have to. But nowadays, I have no choice — she’s in middle school now, and every assignment is online."
For some, even small amounts of screen time bring guilt. As one parent put it, "I feel guilty because even if it’s 15 or 20 minutes on the tablet, that’s time we could spend together."
The Source: The information in this story comes from a Pew Research Center survey and accompanying focus groups that explored parents’ views on children’s screen time. This story was reported from Los Angeles.