TORONTO -- Canadian caregivers and health experts are closely watching new U.S. guidelines on how much screen time children should have.
The Canadian Paediatric Society won't update its guidelines until next year, but in the meantime offers up these tips for managing youngsters' exposure to TVs, computers, gaming devices, smartphones and tablets:
-- Create limits: Avoid screen time before the age of two and encourage good media habits from the start. The sooner you create limits, the easier they will be to maintain.
-- Look at your own habits: How much time do you spend behind a screen each day? Your child learns from your behaviour, so it might be time for a change.
-- It's all about balance: Encourage a balance between screen time and other activities like sports, hobbies and outdoor play. This is something they can do on their own, or you can do as a family.
-- Time to disconnect: Choose a time of day to be "family time," when no one is distracted by screens. Ask your kids to give you their phones at a designated time so they can learn the value of screen-free time and the importance of being disconnected at night.
-- Get involved: Use media with your child. Learn what they enjoy and talk to them about it. The more you are involved in your child's online life the more you can help them make safe choices.
Source: The Canadian Paediatric Society, June 2011
