School’s out for summer! While most teens are thrilled for summer break and more “down time,” many parents worry that the decrease in daily demands over the summer will lead to too much screen time for our kids. It can be particularly hard for parents to set boundaries on screen use for teens because phones, gaming, social media, and streaming are a huge part of how they connect, learn, and relax.
The good news is that small, consistent boundaries, when set with empathy and flexibility, can go a long way toward helping teens develop healthier screen habits all year round. Here are a few strategies to try this summer:
1. Create Screen-Free Zones
Start setting boundaries by protecting a few specific places in the home where devices aren’t allowed. Bedrooms, dinner tables, and bathrooms are great places to start. Screen-free zones create natural breaks in screen use and give teens (and adults!) time to recharge, reflect, or reconnect.
Establishing zones is helpful because, when the boundary is tied to a place rather than a time, it tends to be easier to enforce and often results in less pushback from teens.
2. Have Them “Earn” Screen Time
Create a system in which teens can “earn” screen time by doing something else first. For example, have them spend 45 minutes doing something like exercise, artwork, reading, chores, or outdoor time and then they “earn” 45 minutes of screen time. This strategy teaches teens about balance and helps them practice doing things other than being on their screens when they have free time.
3. Model Balanced Screen Use
Teens notice what we do more than what we say. If our phones are always in our hands, it becomes much harder to convince them to engage in screen-free time. As parents, we can set the stage for small shifts in behavior that will make a big difference over time.
For instance, let your teen know that: you are turning off your phone so that you can “really focus”; you are putting your phone away during dinner to be more present with the family; and/or you are silencing your phone so that you can fully enjoy the movie you are watching.
When teens see us being more intentional about our own screen time, it models and normalizes mindful screen use rather than passive scrolling.
Final Thought
Screens are here to stay. One of our jobs as parents is to help teens use screens in ways that support, rather than hinder, their growth. By setting reasonable boundaries for screen use, we also are teaching them self-awareness and self-regulation, skills they will need in all areas of their lives.
Kelly Theis, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist