According to a 2019 study conducted by Media Smarts, 75 per cent of Canadian parents are concerned about how much time children spend on their screens. However, school-aged children are increasingly required to use digital technology at home and school. Navigating this reality is tricky and finding a healthy balance is so important. While there is no doubt that technology will continue to play a major role in our lives, balance is the key to maintaining good mental, emotional and physical health.
As parents and caregivers, it is our responsibility to help monitor and manage screen time behaviours for our children and teens. Setting age-appropriate limits can help protect them from some of the risks associated with too much screen time. In addition, promoting safe and responsible device use can enhance mental health and well-being in children and teens.
Additional resources for parents and caregivers
- Information and videos to help tell the difference between what's true and what's fake online.
- Helpful tips for parents and caregivers on how to tell if children and teens are forming unhealthy online relationships.
- Mobile devices are now the main way we access the internet. Unfortunately, smartphones aren't always secure. Learn more about establishing appropriate privacy setting and safeguards for smartphones.