What’s “too much screentime” for kids in the era of COVID-19?

Have your kids been clocking some serious screentime these past few months? Pandemic life has loosened screentime rules for families across America, leaving parents – especially those working from home – feeling conflicted. It’s also raised lots of questions. How much screentime should I allow for my kids? What apps are appropriate? If I let my son play three hours of Roblox, will he turn into a techno-zombie? Devorah Heitner, PhD, is here to answer these questions and more. She’s the author of the book, Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and the founder of Raising Digital Natives. Devorah explains the importance of “mentoring over monitoring” when it comes to kids’ tech use and gives advice on how to encourage a healthy relationship with media and technology – and set kids up for success, not stress, in the digital age. Listen to this episode to learn: -Why it’s critical that we empathize with kids right now and let them use technology to connect, create, laugh, and learn -What digital platforms and apps are appropriate (or not) for elementary aged kids, tweens, and teens -Is there a “right way” for teens to use TikTok? -Why parents need to be “Editors-in-Chief” and understand the basics of their kids’ digital worlds – what they watch, play, and post -Why iPhones and video games alone don’t cause depression in kids, but they can “turn up the dial” on mental health issues -Tips for teaching kids how to self-regulate their screentime -How to empower kids to use technology and digital media for social good For more information, visit www.raisingdigitalnatives.com.