CPP group leaders know that parents have been navigating young children’s technology use for decades. However, as electronics, social media, and artificial intelligence continue to reach young children, parents have increasingly turned to CPP group leaders for guidance. Although the effects of technology on children continue to be investigated, we have more resources than ever to share with group leaders as they support parents encountering this shifting landscape. We would like to offer some brief guidance to group leaders for facilitating these conversations in CPP groups and provide additional resources for group leaders and parents.
CPP approach to conversations about screen time
Parenting challenges are not new to CPP group leaders – you already have skills to facilitate CPP group conversations about screen time! Following the CPP approach that parents are the experts on their children, invite parents to clarify their values and goals related to their children’s screen use. As always, ask the group to support each other in problem-solving issues related to screen time. Finally, group leaders can provide evidence-based information to parents while maintaining a nonjudgmental environment where all parents feel safe to share.
Evidence-based recommendations for children’s screen time
Young children’s brain development is highly dependent on them being regularly engaged in physical activity, free play, and social interaction. Screen time can interfere with all three. Several professional health organizations have released guidelines to help families navigate screen time in today’s evolving digital world. We have highlighted a few key points below but invite you to learn more at the resources linked at the bottom of this article.
- Set household rules for healthy screen use. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes that quality, content, and social interaction matter more for supporting learning and healthy child development than strict time limits. That said, AAP offers the following age-based time limit guidelines:
- 0-18 months: no screens (except video chatting)
- 2-5 months: Maximum 1 hour of high-quality content daily
- Ensure that children’s screen time does not replace sleep, play, physical activity, or social interaction. For example, establish regular routines or spaces that are screen-free, such as during meals and bedtimes. Divert children’s attention to alternatives like reading, play, or physical activity.
- Get the whole family on board. Start with simple, consistent rules that apply to the whole family, including parents. Praise children when they follow the rules or engage in non-screen activities and remember that healthy screen habits begin with clear expectations, positive role modeling, and predictable routines that everyone follows together.
How the Chicago Parent Program Supports Healthy Screen Time
The Chicago Parent Program gives families practical skills to apply screen time guidelines in their households. CPP helps parents to set clear, consistent rules about when and how screens can be used (like device-free mealtimes and bedtimes), manage their own screen use, co-view content and talk with kids about what they’re watching, and offer engaging alternatives like outdoor play, reading, and family activities. Use do statements to make expectations clear and warning statements to give children time to prepare for transitioning away from screen time. CPP also emphasizes use of labeled praise to reinforce positive behaviors, staying calm and consistent when enforcing boundaries, and starting with simple rules that apply to everyone in the household. CPP’s strengths-based approach helps parents implement media plans effectively while strengthening relationships and reducing parenting stress.