This Is How I Deal With Toddler Screen Time

Jennifer Landis - 8 Jun 18

I’m one of those moms who tends to beat around the bush or even flat out lie when my kid’s pediatrician asks me about screen time. The conversation usually goes like this:

Doctor: “So you’re making sure to restrict screen time to an hour a day, right?”
Me: “Um…yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.”

For the longest time, I felt super guilty about that — both about the lying and about the fact that I was obviously traumatizing my kids by allowing them to have too much time on their electronics. The concept of screen time has only emerged in the past few years, but it isn’t a new concept. I imagine my mom got the same crap from my pediatrician about letting me spend too much time playing on the Super Nintendo and watching Nickelodeon that I get about letting my kids play on their iPads.

Once I realized that, I decided I wasn’t going to let anyone make me feel guilty about screen time anymore. This is how I deal with toddler screen time — and hopefully, it’ll help you too.

It’s Dangerous, Right?

Letting our kids online at a young age is dangerous, right? There are online predators and people who are out to try to steal them away.

News flash — you can run into that on any street in the country. And the concept isn’t new — I remember getting the online predator talk when I got my first computer around age 10. I also remember the creepers who would troll the Yahoo chatrooms asking A/S/L (Age, sex, location, in case you weren’t computer savvy in the 90s) looking for impressionable young minds to corrupt.

There’s also the concern of childhood obesity — kids would rather sit indoors and play video games than play outside and exercise. It’s true that children, even toddlers, are spending more time in front of screens than ever before — but the average number for kids ages zero to eight is only 48 minutes a day. Tweens spend more — upwards of four and a half hours a day — and teens take the cake with a whopping six hours and 40 minutes of screen time every day.

We’re not setting the best example though. Another survey found that the average parent with kids between the ages of eight and 18 is spending upwards of nine and a half hours a day in front of screens, and only an hour and a half of that is dedicated to work.

You do know that the whole ‘do as I say, not as I do’ thing doesn’t actually work for toddlers, right? Right. Okay, moving on.

It’s Part of Life

Screens are an enormous part of our lives. Even if you try to limit screen time as an adult, you’re still watching the news on the television, checking your email on your computer and Facetiming with family members or friends on your phone. It’s an integral part of modern life — and that isn’t a bad thing.

The trick is to teach your kids — starting from a young age — that they’re not missing out if they’re not spending all their time on their phone. You might be inseparable from your phone (I know I am — I freak out if I forget my phone at home!) but your toddler doesn’t need to be glued to the iPad at all times to thrive.

Don’t let concern about screen time turn you into an electronic tyrant. If you feel the need to limit screen time, make sure you’re prepared to fill that time with things that keep your child entertained and educated.

I’ve found that letting my kids help me prepare dinner instead of plopping them down on the couch with a screen helps to keep them engaged and off their screens — and they’re learning a useful life skill to boot! I wouldn’t trust my toddler in the kitchen alone, but he loves it when he gets to mix things, crack eggs and generally make a mess of my kitchen. What toddler wouldn’t?

This cooking technique also provides a great time to bond with your little ones — plus it keeps you from getting distracted by Facebook and burning your dinner. Yes, I’ve done that too. Don’t judge.

It’s a Sanity Saver

When it comes down to it, don’t let yourself feel guilty for setting your toddler up to entertain themselves on the iPad for a few minutes here and there. Sometimes, Mom needs a damn break. If you can walk away for a few minutes while you know your little one is safe and entertained, it can work wonders for your sanity.

Don’t lose your mind over screen time — it’s honestly not worth the fight. If you feel the need to limit it, that’s entirely up to you. I do — and it makes me engage with my kids more, which is good for building a healthy relationship. Sure, I might not be able to restrict screen time once they hit those tween or teenage years, but for now, I can shut off the iPad, put it out of sight to avoid their temptation and spend some quality time with my kids.

But I refuse to feel guilty about giving in and letting them play sometimes — and you shouldn’t either. The occasional judgmental look from a pediatrician is a small price to pay for my sanity.

Jennifer Landis

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