- How many hours can be considered healthy for a child or teenager to play on a computer, Xbox, cell phone, etc.?
- We've agreed on a 3-hour daily screen time limit at home, but my son doesn't respect it because he doesn't think it's enough. He gets angry and won't stop. What should we do? Should we take it away by force?
- If students have to use screens at home for academic purposes, how can we "control" that they don't misuse them when doing schoolwork without their parents being present?
- How can we make teenagers understand the consequences of overexposure to screens?
- Is it okay for a child under 2 years old to already be interacting with screens?
- At what age can we introduce screens and in what way?
- My 6-year-old son has just started playing Nintendo and keeps asking for my phone to play games or watch YouTube. He does several extracurricular activities, goes to the hiking club, and plays with his friends the rest of the time, but at home he just wants to look at screens. Should I set a time limit?
- How do you manage a child who won't put their phone down when they have to study, neglecting their studies and responsibilities at home?
- When they're little, we set limits; you can even just take away their technology. But at certain ages, you set time limits, and there are days when it's harder to get them to listen because they seem to be frustrated with the world. Then you can't take away their technology so easily. What do we do?
- I would like an alternative to blackmail or the punishment of taking away the console if he doesn't do his homework first.
- How can we manage our children's privacy by monitoring or not monitoring the content of their conversations?
- How can we explain to our children what things are private and what things are so private that they shouldn't be shared even in private?
- How can I teach her responsible screen use if she sees me constantly using them for remote work?
- Can addiction manifest as a pure obsession? That is, without any outwardly visible compulsion, only as ruminative thought?
- I think my daughter uses her mobile phone excessively, how can I tell if she has a mobile phone addiction?
- When a child under 14 may have a possible screen addiction, is one of the first symptoms aggression? Is it normal for them to notice that there are states that create anxiety and that they cannot control this aggression and impulsivity?
- What guidelines can we follow to help a 19-year-old stop being addicted?
- When there is an addiction, what should be done to wean the person off screens?
How can we make teenagers understand the consequences of overexposure to screens?
One of the characteristics of adolescence is what is known as adolescent optimism, meaning that they are optimistic about the stage of life they are in, that typical phrase, "that won't happen to me." Furthermore, a sense of immortality is a sign of healthy development, and this combination (optimism and immortality) leads them to take risks they might not have taken at other stages of life, even knowing the potential negative consequences. In addition, adolescence is also characterized by a difficulty in thinking long-term. Therefore, making teenagers understand the potential consequences of screen time is a complex task.
So, one of the best ways to help teenagers understand the consequences of excessive screen time is to give examples; we can surely think of something that has happened to us. But it often happens that knowing the risks doesn't mean we make changes to healthier behavior. That's why, regardless of age, it remains important to set limits and rules regarding screen use for the whole family.
