[World Health Organization] Limited or No Screen Time for Children Under 5

[Coke Chan]

Okay, glad wife and i generally kept to this policy, although we are liberal at times with screen time.

https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24 ... -play-more

"Children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). .."

[zac's mum]

Okay, glad wife and i generally kept to this policy, although we are liberal at times with screen time.

https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24 ... -play-more

"Children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). .."

We always apply this policy to our kids but there are really times when kids have tantrums in public and giving a screen time is the last thing that could calm them. But it's always best to practice this policy for your child's sake.

I’m sorry to say this but giving them the screen to cease the tantrum is just training them that tantrum = they will get the screen. Aka scream louder and with more drama then parent will give in.

Before I step out of the house, I will warn the kid that no tantrums or else we will stop and just go home for disciplining. Start on a short trip that has no matter if you leave immediately. Don’t start on a trip with high stakes like your MIL’s birthday party for example. Over time they will learn that the parent will not cave, no matter what. Offer more suitable alternative toys or snacks.

I don’t even give screen when waiting for food at restaurants. It is a good time to teach how to have a conversation while waiting in hunger.

[zac's mum]

Recently I have seen a couple cases where a P3-4 kid is having a screaming tantrum with his parent in a shopping mall because parent removed the screen.

It is absolute sadness to watch. Don’t feed the addiction.

[swortionery]

Yup, parents have to be very firm about certain boundaries. You wouldn't allow your child to do something that could potentially cause themselves serious harm, so excessive or unpermitted usage of the phone or tablet should be no exception too.

That being said, it's also important for parents to remind themselves to not use their mobile devices in front of the kids. That tends to set an unwanted precedence.

[kiasimom]

My youngest is 5 and he did not have any mobile devices. The only screen time he has is watching Netflix on the TV and each time it is only 30 mins. He only watches the educational programmes. It has become natural for him not to have an ipad.

[Jiya Parker]

There are many cool programs for your phone. You can track your child's actions by phone. But this is completely different. Did you know that a loud sound negatively affects at a child? Therefore, I never go to concerts with a child. I check the sound level at all events using the decibelpro.app. Loud sounds can cause a child's hearing loss. It is worth taking care of the child.