It’s important to have conversations about how much children are using media and why it’s extremely important to establish some ground rules. And at the same time we should acknowledge the crucial role of press freedom. This is not something to be ignored, as it allows us to understand events in other countries through the lens of the media. Additionally, let’s not forget the benefits of watching and enjoying movies, dramas, and documentaries. They provide us with opportunities to laugh, learn, and explore a variety of topics.
Nonetheless, it can’t be ignored that the incessant exposure to news and media, particularly those depicting violence, war, societal breakdown, and overall harm, is not beneficial for children, adolescents, or adults, to be frank. This is particularly pertinent in the current times of global unrest.
Research indicates that children who spend four or more hours daily watching television are prone to obesity, exhibit aggressive tendencies, and engage in harmful behaviors such as alcohol consumption or smoking.
Given these facts, it’s worth discussing strategies to establish beneficial restrictions on media usage. Reducing children’s consumption of media can help balance screen time with imaginative, physically active, and therapeutic endeavors.
Effects of Media Usage
An investigative study looking into the effects of media use on children and youth points out that media consumption holds a ‘substantial’ influence on the psychosocial development of children. The analysis delves into the impact of television, radio, music, educational video games, and internet usage, demonstrating how certain programs can promote irresponsible sexual conduct, impede learning and academic achievement, escalate violent behavior, affect social abilities, and expose children to hazardous individuals.
The research, along with others like it, underscores the damage unregulated media consumption can inflict on a child’s health, wellbeing, and development. It underlines the crucial role that parents play in supervising the media their kids engage with to shield them from a broad range of negative impacts.
A 2021 study, which investigated children’s media behaviors, found that kids grappled with the pandemic’s disruption to their regular routines, leading to increased online presence, excessive TV watching, and extended time spent on social media. Consequently, their social circles diminished, and their body image concerns heightened. Almost all the kids surveyed admitted feeling compelled to look good online and resorted to using filters to attain a certain appearance.
The study revealed that, despite reporting increased online and media usage, children still viewed living life virtually as a poor replacement for offline activities. They experienced feelings of isolation and reported diminished well-being as a result.

Preserving a Balance
Up until now, the detrimental effects of media consumption have taken center stage in our discussion. However, it’s crucial to recognize that social media, television, radio, music, and video games, when used moderately, can positively influence young individuals.
Education plays a pivotal role in how children interact with media. In the context of social media, the UK-based charity, the NSPCC, recommends that schools and parents equip children with knowledge about appropriate language use and expectations, safe live streaming practices, the significance of privacy and consent, and create channels for children to express their experiences or worries.
As previously discussed, excessive time spent watching TV, on social media, and playing video games can lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and unhappiness among children. Therefore, as parents and caregivers, it’s essential to monitor and regulate children’s media usage within a set structure and time period. Strict boundaries guide kids on when it’s appropriate to go online, converse with friends, watch their favorite shows, as well as when it’s time for school, bedtime, outdoor activities, and other engagements. Established routines help children, especially younger ones, feel secure and happier, and are more likely to shield them from the negative repercussions of excessive online presence.
Children thrive within a structured environment, and this concept applies to media consumption as well.
Setting a positive example for your children by demonstrating how you utilize media constructively, such as for learning, amusement, or exploring new subjects, can offer a valuable template for healthy media use. Serving as a good role model, in conjunction with establishing strict boundaries, is vital.
What Defines Healthy Media Use?
A study by Paediatrics Child Health, referred to earlier, outlines several methods families can employ to help their children engage with media healthily. Practical strategies involve families navigating media together and initiating conversations about what’s of value and what isn’t. Conducting such family assessments is advantageous as it enables children to differentiate between reality and fiction, especially when dealing with subjects like sex, violence, and advertising. Naturally, exposing children to this kind of content should be determined based on age appropriateness.
The report suggests that children should not have a TV, computer, or video game console in their bedrooms and promotes the use of shared passwords. It proposes permitting one to two hours of TV watching each day and giving older children the responsibility to plan their viewing schedule for the coming week, under a parent’s supervision. It’s also important for caregivers to enforce these ‘rules’ when parents aren’t present to ensure uniformity. This principle applies equally to parents who live separately.

Advantageous Substitute Activities for Kids
Another strategy to prevent children from accessing harmful content online and through other media platforms is to provide them with alternative activities that they find enjoyable. Kids relish undertaking projects, acquiring new knowledge, and engaging in hands-on tasks that allows them to observe their improvement over time.
There are a number of solid online educational platforms offering a wide array of interactive and diverse learning worksheets that present valuable learning and play experiences for children, encouraging them to allocate time away from screens. One of such platforms is Kids Academy. Entertaining young children can be challenging, which makes a vast array of resources, such as those provided by Kids Academy, an excellent go-to when looking for constructive activities.
Engaging children in creative and mindful activities, such as school worksheets, crafts, singing, dancing, or yoga, provides a wonderful array of alternate activities. Kids of all ages enjoy being outdoors, whether it’s a simple walk to the park or a more adventurous outing. It’s an excellent engagement tool as they can experience new places, explore their neighborhood or beyond, and expend energy. When kids stay inactive while watching TV or surfing the internet that does not contribute positively to their overall development. Incorporating a suitable amount of physical activity daily is crucial for children’s health and wellness, as well as their holistic growth.
Observe, Discuss, and Instruct
The online and media landscape can prove daunting for children, particularly when they navigate it without parental oversight. As outlined above, caregivers play a crucial role in striking a balance between enabling children to learn and benefit from media while protecting them from the harmful content that’s widely available. It’s equally significant that children feel comfortable communicating with their parents about anything they come across online. Maintaining open lines of communication is essential.
Establishing a solid framework at home, restricting access to the online world, and offering alternative mindful, creative, and enjoyable activities for kids to engage in independently or with their family is the optimal approach to guaranteeing children’s healthy development.