How to instill healthy media consumption in youth

by Victoria Della Cioppa

It is no surprise that the rise of social media has infiltrated our daily lives. This occurrence is especially true for youth, who are growing up in the digital era. It has never been more important to have open and ongoing conversations with our children about healthy media consumption and its effect on mental well-being. 

There are many positive aspects to screentime, a point that I hope brings reassurance to caregivers. The Internet provides youth with opportunities to become socially engaged and informed citizens; it allows them to find a community of like-minded individuals; and it gives them the ability to stay connected with friends and family. According to the Canadian Pediatric Society in a 2019 article “Digital media: Promoting healthy screen use in school-aged children and adolescents,” in fact, recreational screentime of one hour per day is associated with lower levels of depression compared to no screentime. Negative aspects occur when youth spend vast amounts of time on their devices and/or engage with inappropriate content.

The Canadian Pediatric Society defines acceptable recreational screentime as no more than two hours daily for children ages 6 and up. Constantly being on social media can contribute to feelings of alienation and social exclusion (UNICEF, 2019), most notably FOMO or the “fear of missing out,” where individuals perceive others as having richer life experiences. The comparison of self to others may lead to self-esteem problems. Moreover, according to Lauren Hale and colleagues in a 2018 paper, youth who keep their devices in their bedrooms overnight are often awakened by notifications, meaning both less and worse sleep, which can affect general mental health and brain development. Therefore, how can we help youth navigate the digital world?

Primarily, adults must have conversations with young people about social media usage. Dinner time, car rides or while doing household chores are perfect opportunities to have difficult conversations with youth as they feel less pressure to have the right answers. Older youth may benefit from conversations about quality versus quantity screentime. Help young people to make explicit why they choose screentime: is it to learn something? To interact with friends? Or to take a break? Remember, most reasons are valid, but the quantity is what changes the benefits. A ten-minute social media study break is acceptable, while 40 minutes is not. 

Try co-viewing with your children – watch their favourite TV show, listen to their favourite music or play their favourite video game with them. Not only is it important to spend time with them doing something they enjoy, but you can also use this time to ask questions that help them think critically about the media they consume. 

Find opportunities to encourage fun screentime alternatives, which do not feel like punishment. Activities like family board game nights, bedtime routines or special dinners can be “media-free times.” Designate media-free locations, especially in the bedrooms, resulting in the charging of devices in a common room of the house. Younger children may benefit from creating a “First Device Contract,” where adults and children write their expectations as a condition of having a personal device. Even though adults believe their children are not watching them use their own devices, they are. It’s important to role-model appropriate and positive behaviours for your child. Lead by example. 

Victoria Della Cioppa, M.A., is project development officer – School Climate for the English Montreal School Board.