Managing Teenager Screen Time While Transitioning Back to In-Person Time

Feb 18

For more than two COVID-consumed years, youth coped with the loss of in-person connection. Naturally, their use of social media like Tiktok and Snapchat, text chat groups, videogame platforms, and communication platforms like Discord drastically increased. According to some reports, recreational screen time nearly doubled among teens during the pandemic.

And now, as in-person school is back and in-person activities are restarting, parents are expressing their concern with just how much eyeball time is still spent on phones and online despite the growing availability of face-to-face activities.

Digital connection will likely remain an integral part of youths’ lives. Helping them navigate online conflict, and setting digital expectations continues to be an important part of how parents support youth.

But are there things parents and youth-serving adults can do to help reintroduce youth to in-person connection? Yes.

Have empathy. Our young people are still navigating how to be in person. Have patience while they settle back into their routines. Everyone is struggling with social skills.
It’s our job to teach and nurture growth and skills. Be curious and open about their technology use, and yours too.
Be a digital role model. How much time are you spending on your devices? Resolve your own conflicts in person and take breaks. Model the same behaviors you expect from your young person. (Are you reading this now while the TV is on in the background or while you’re settling into bed?) Know that your youth are watching - find balance & teach balance.
Help youth set digital boundaries – not just how much time they’re on screens or what sites they’re visiting, but how to set communication boundaries, like how to handle online conflict and to stay safe.
And have open communication with them. Create family technology contracts about device and technology use, and revisit them often to see how they’re working.
And take care of your own connection needs. Remember that we’re all doing the best we can to stay safe, to reconnect, and to learn how to be social again.