Sweden caps screen time for children and teens – how you can reduce it for your child

Dubai: How often do you hand over the phone or tablet to your child, just so that they stop crying? New guidelines issued by Sweden’s public health authority have slashed the recommended daily screen time for children, citing health concerns.

“For far too long we have allowed screens and apps to steal time and attention at the cost of what we know is needed to feel well. We know that use of digital media can have negative health effects, including worsened sleep and symptoms of depression,” Jakob Forssmed, the minister of social affairs, was quoted as saying.

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“Children’s health is paying the price for tech companies’ profits,” said Forssmed.

Here’s how much screen time per day is permitted under the guidelines issued by the health authority:

• No screens for children under the age of two.
• Two- to five-year-olds - a maximum of one hour.
• Six- to 12-year-olds – a maximum of two hours.
• 13- to 18-year olds – no more than three hours.

The guidelines also put the spotlight on parents, asking them to be more mindful of how they use screens when their children are around and the Swedish government has previously said it is considering a ban on smartphones in primary schools.

France, too, is taking the issue head-on, after a study commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron, concluded that children under three should not be exposed to screens, including television, and no child should have a phone before the age of 11.

A trial ban on mobile phones is also currently in effect across middle schools in France, as part of a ‘digital pause’.

What the science says

The recommendations, experts say, are in line with what most research has concluded – extended screen time affects children’s mental, physical and social wellbeing.

“The recommendation for children under two to have no screen time at all – that’s really backed up by a large amount of evidence, which has found that it can hinder language social emotional development, like missing opportunities for making eye contact or learning about people in the real world,” Dr Elizabeth Aizlewood, clinical psychologist at Vivamus, a mental health centre in Dubai, told Gulf News.

“All areas of the brain are really developing at this age, especially the parts that articulate language and higher order thinking processes. During pre-school, research has linked excessive screen time to delay in language and academic skills and as children grow older the body of research really shows the impact this has on mental health, with issues like anxiety and depression,” she added.

All areas of the brain are really developing at this age, especially the parts that articulate language and higher order thinking processes. During pre-school, research has linked excessive screen time to delay in language and academic skills and as children grow older the body of research really shows the impact this has on mental health, with issues like anxiety and depression.

- Dr Elizabeth Aizlewood, clinical psychologist at Vivamus

Kimberly Glaspie, a child specialist counsellor at MCM Mental Health Centre in Dubai, has worked as a counsellor for over 20 years, and the recommendations by the Swedish public health authority, she says, are things she would tell parents, too.

“I specialise in early years counselling, up to age three, and a lot of the behvaioural issues I have seen is clearly linked to technology addiction. You can see three year olds acting out if they are not given the screen, and they have these withdrawal symptoms. They can’t pay attention, and there are a lot of tantrums – they are seeking that dopamine hit from the technology and their parents are soothing them with it instead of with the old-school way of paying attention,” she said.

Good old practices

Counsellors who spoke with Gulf News highlighted the need to simply go back to old-school parenting techniques, that they perhaps grew up with themselves – pay attention to what your child does, set clear, consistent boundaries, and model the behaviour you wish to see.

“Parents have to pay attention to how they are using technology and their screen, because children, in general, are always watching their adults to learn how to be a human being in the world. They learn everything from us and modelling their behaviour after what they see mum and dad do. If parents are already dysregulated because they are on the screens all the time, it interrupts your sleep and it can cause heightened anxiety and depression. Adults think it’s not affecting them but it is. We are acting out, too, and it shows in the way we deal with our children,” Glaspie said.

[Children] are seeking that dopamine hit from the technology and their parents are soothing them with it instead of with the old-school way of paying attention.

- Kimberly Glaspie, a child specialist counsellor at MCM Mental Health Centre

Speaking from the experience of working at schools, as well as with clients who come to see her, she concluded that children are definitely getting too much screen time, with very immediate, harmful effects, but also long-term ones.

“How do you learn to reason or use common sense if you are always using the phone to either play or look something up on Google to get a quick answer. You are also not pushed to think about how you can solve a problem. So, when regular life problem comes up, there is a bill due and you don’t know how to budget or if you are looking for a job, figuring out what to prioritise has a lot to do with just basic reasoning,” she said.

The blue light knocking off their sleep quality does not help either, leaving children grumpier and crankier, and having an overall effect on the household.

How you can reduce your child’s screen time

Aakriti Mahindra, clinical and educational psychologist at Neuropedia, a children’s neuroscience centre in Dubai, spoke about how modern technology is addictive by design, and something that children should be especially protected from.

“Forget about children, if you have a phone in your hand, don’t you just pick it up even if it isn’t ringing? We are just scrolling, we keep on checking it,” she said.

1. Set clear, consistent boundaries

When it comes to screen time, parents needs to ensure that the boundaries are clearly communicated and consistently implemented, whether it has to do with screen time or any other aspect of their schedule.

“Some parents might say, ‘Well, they don’t listen.’ But I would say that this is where you need to strictly implement a boundary, and once children know that it is a clear boundary, they will know that they can’t cross it,” Mahindra said.

“As a parent, we have our own set of challenges and our children have theirs – like peer pressure or not being able to balance school work with other aspects of their lives. If you make them understand what their routine is and that everybody follows the same rules, they will definitely follow it,” she added.

2. Create a schedule

“Whether it is a daily or weekly schedule, make sure that your children know when they can and cannot use a screen,” Mahindra said.

As a parent, we have our own set of challenges and our children have theirs – like peer pressure or not being able to balance school work with other aspects of their lives. If you make them understand what their routine is and that everybody follows the same rules, they will definitely follow it

- Aakriti Mahindra, clinical and educational psychologist at Neuropedia

3. Don’t adopt a cold turkey approach

Experts also warned parents against taking away screens immediately and completely.

“Reduce the time each day and then start reducing the number of days they are allowed to use the screen. Remember that these are addictive habits – these pop up awards, the constant notifications, create a loop in the child’s mind. You also need to replace that time with something that’s mentally stimulating. Give them chores and make it fun,” Glaspie said.

4. Get the children involved in setting house rules

Mahindra also recommended that parents use family time to get children’s participation in setting up rules around the house. How many hours of screen time should you get and why? What would you like mum and dad to do? Opening up to children with these conversations allows them to feel like they have a say in the matter and offers a great opportunity to connect.

5. Practise mindfulness

Speaking from the experience she has had counselling families who have a problem with too much screen time, Mahindra said: “Be mindful of the words and phrases that you use because that can sometimes be the reason they want to avoid being with you. And when they avoid being with you, they go towards the screen.”