Media in all forms, including TV, computers, and smartphones, can affect how children and teens feel, learn, think, and behave. However, parents (you) are still the most important influence.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages you to help your children develop healthy media use habits early on. Read on to learn more.
You can decide what media use is best for your family. Remember, all children and teens need adequate sleep (8–12 hours, depending on age), physical activity (1 hour), and time away from media. (See the “Media Use Guidelines” chart for general guidelines for media use based on age.)
Because children today are growing up in a time of highly personalized media use experiences, parents must develop personalized media use plans for their children. Media plans should take into account each child’s age, health, personality, and developmental stage. Create a Family Media Use Plan online at HealthyChildren.org/MediaUsePlan. By...
