Not All Screen Time Is Created Equal

Through The Looking Glass: There aren’t many parenting rules that feel as settled as “less screen time is better” for kids (and adults too, really). But a new review from the University of Georgia suggests that time spent in front of the screen tells only part of the story. What kids watch, and who’s watching it with them, may matter just as much.

The Study: Researchers pored over 30 studies on kids ages 0 to 8 from low-income U.S. families, a group that tends to log more screen time. What they watched made a huge difference. Prosocial shows like “Daniel Tiger” were tied to stronger social skills, and violent programs were linked to more aggression. Age also mattered, since heavier use in infants and toddlers was linked to weaker language skills. The researchers also flagged co-viewing as a promising strategy. That can be as simple as watching alongside a kid and chatting afterward about what they saw. 

The Takeaway: We can all stand to reduce our time in front of screens. But the conventional wisdom that all screen time is bad may not be entirely accurate. 

Keep in Mind: Most of these studies focused on TV, so they don’t fully reflect the popular algorithm-fed videos of today. The evidence on co-viewing is also still emerging, and the authors caution that one-size-fits-all screen rules won’t work for every family.