Screen time and digital technology use for teenagers: part of a healthy lifestyle

Screen time and digital technology use can be part of a healthy lifestyle for teenagers when they’re balanced with other activities that are good for teenage development and wellbeing. These activities include physical activity, extracurricular activities and socialising. Getting the right balance also includes making sure screen time doesn’t interfere with sleep.

Our tips can help your child use digital technology in a balanced and healthy way.

Your choices about screen time and digital technology use influence the way your child uses screens. By using digital technology in healthy, balanced ways yourself, you can be a role model for healthy screen habits.

1. Create rules with your child about screen time and digital technology use

You can help your child balance screen time and digital technology use with other activities. One of the best ways to do this is by working together on family rules or a family media plan. Your rules and plan will work best if they apply to everyone in the family, including you.

You and your child could talk about family rules that cover things like the following:

• Where your child can use digital technology – for example, this might be only in family rooms, not in the bedroom after a certain time, or only in the car on long drives.
• When your child can use digital technology – for example, mealtimes are free of TV, computers and phones, or no social media until chores and homework are finished.
• How your child can use digital technology – for example, this might be for interactive gaming, making a podcast or watching a TEDx talk.
• How you handle digital technology use for children of different ages – for example, there might be some games that your teenage child can play only when their younger sibling is out or has gone to bed.
• How your child can stay safe online – for example, they should check the privacy settings when they download a new app, and they should tell you if someone they don’t know tries to contact them or they see something that upsets them.

It’s OK if your rules include time limits to help your child make enough time in their day for things like physical activity, sleep and study.

If you negotiate your family’s media rules or plan with your child, it gives your child the chance to understand the rules and take responsibility for following them. Negotiating the rules also sends the message that you trust your child to become a responsible digital citizen.

2. Aim for short screen time sessions

It’s good for your child to have short screen time sessions, even if they’re using digital technology for study. It’s especially good if they’re sitting or lying down while studying, watching or playing. Short sessions mean your child has the chance to get up, move and interact with others, which is important for their energy levels, development, sleep, and overall health and wellbeing.

Options for keeping screen time short include:

• using a timer to set breaks
• getting up and moving when the timer ends
• using natural breaks to move around – for example, when your child reaches a level in a game or finishes a homework task
• creating a routine that has regular breaks from screen use – your child could even coordinate breaks with friends.

3. Make physical activity part of your child’s day

Physical activity keeps teenage bodies and minds fit and healthy. Your child needs at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. This might include everyday activities like walking or riding to school, sports like netball and football, or organised fitness activities like exercise classes, swimming and running.

Teenagers often need to plan the balance between physical activity and other activities, including screen time. Keeping track of physical activity might motivate your child to find a balance.

4. Look into extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities, interests and hobbies are good for your child because they give your child the chance to meet new people and develop new skills. This means they can be a great way to balance screen time.

Extracurricular activities can be almost anything your child enjoys outside school, like sport, drama, music, Scouts and Guides, or hobbies like craft or photography. They can also be things that you’ve encouraged your child to do, like language classes, debating, religious instruction, swimming, community activities or casual work.

5. Encourage socialising, friendship and connectedness

Even if your child uses social media to keep up with friends, it’s good for your child to socialise face to face too. Being with other people helps your child develop social skills and gives your child a social group to do new things with, especially things that are different from your family activities. It also gives them a chance to do things that are different from their online activities.

You can support your child’s face-to-face friendships by making sure your child feels comfortable inviting friends over and by giving them space in your home. You can also help your child plan social activities like sport in the park or a trip to the movies.

6. Avoid screen time and digital technology use before bed

Teenagers need plenty of sleep – 8-10 hours a night.

Screen time and digital technology use before bed can affect how quickly your child falls asleep and how well they sleep. If your child avoids mobile phones, tablets, computer screens, TV and smartwatches with apps in the hour before bed, your child is likely to fall asleep more quickly and sleep better.

7. Keep digital technology out of bedrooms at night

If you keep mobile phones and other devices out of your child’s bedroom at night, your child won’t be able to stay up late playing games or messaging friends. This can also stop your child being disturbed in the night by notifications, messages or calls.

Teenagers use digital technology for schoolwork, entertainment, socialising and more. They often have a lot of screen time and regularly use more than one screen or device at a time. Healthy screen habits help your teenage child make balanced choices about when and how to use digital technology in their free time.