Back to School and Back Online: Helping Kids Build Healthy Digital Habits

As children head back to school, families are settling into new routines around homework, activities, sleep, and time with friends. It’s also a good time to take another look at social media and screen habits.

Digital media is part of everyday life for most school-age children and teens. It can provide opportunities to learn, create and connect with friends. Still, it can also expose children to inappropriate content, interactions with strangers and habits that interfere with sleep, physical activity and mental health.

For parents, keeping track of what children are seeing and doing online can be challenging. Even games and platforms designed for younger users may include advertising, suggested content or chat features that parents don’t expect.

Rather than focusing only on how much time children spend on screens, consider what they are doing online, what they are seeing, and how media use is affecting the rest of their lives.

The AAP’s 5 Cs of Media Use

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the 5 Cs of Media Use as a framework for helping families develop healthy digital habits: Child, Content, Calm, Crowding Out and Communication.

Child: Consider Your Individual Child

Children respond to media differently depending on their age, developmental stage, personality and individual strengths and vulnerabilities.

Pay attention to how your child responds to social media, games and other online activities. Does an activity inspire creativity or connection with friends? Does it leave your child anxious, angry or feeling bad about themselves?

There isn’t a single approach to media use that works for every child. As children grow, parents should continue evaluating whether particular platforms and activities are appropriate for them.

Content: Know What Your Child Is Seeing

Screen content matters.

Before allowing younger children to use an app, game or platform, look at the content, privacy settings, chat features, advertising and whether users can communicate with strangers. Even apps and games marketed to children aren’t necessarily risk-free.

As children get older, knowing exactly what they see online becomes more difficult. Talk with them about the accounts they follow, videos they watch, games they play, and people they communicate with.

Social media also introduces children to “likes,” comments, and followers as measures of social approval. Talk about how this feedback can influence the way they feel about themselves and others.

Calm: Help Kids Find Other Ways to Cope

Children and teens may turn to phones, games, or social media when they’re bored, upset, stressed, or trying to relax.

Digital media can be one way to unwind, but it shouldn’t be the only one. Help children develop other ways to manage emotions and stress, such as physical activity, reading, music, creative activities, spending time outside, or talking with someone they trust.

This can be especially important during the school year, when academic demands, activities and changing social situations can add stress.

Crowding Out: Look at What Screens May Be Replacing

Instead of focusing exclusively on the number of hours a child spends on a device, consider what that time might be crowding out.

Is media use interfering with:

• Sleep?
• Homework or school performance?
• Physical activity?
• Family time?
• In-person friendships?
• Activities your child normally enjoys?

Sleep deserves particular attention during the school year. Scrolling, messaging, watching videos, and gaming can keep children and teens awake long after they should be sleeping. Establishing rules about when devices are turned off and where they’re kept overnight can help protect healthy sleep routines.

Communication: Keep the Conversation Going

One conversation about social media isn’t enough. Talk regularly about what your children are seeing and doing online. Ask what apps they enjoy, who they communicate with, and how their online experiences make them feel.

Older children should understand that people online aren’t always who they claim to be and that sharing personal information can carry risks.

They should also understand their digital footprint. Photos, videos, comments, and other information shared today may remain discoverable in the future, even if they believe they’ve deleted them.

The goal isn’t to know more about every new platform than your child does. It’s to create an environment where children know they can talk to you when something online makes them uncomfortable, confused, or upset.

How Can Social Media Affect Kids’ Mental Health?

Research continues to examine how social media and digital media affect children and adolescents. Potential concerns include anxiety and depression, disrupted sleep, negative body image, exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and less time for other healthy activities.

Not every child who uses social media will experience these problems. Parents should pay attention to changes in their individual child and whether online activities appear to be interfering with everyday life.

When Should Parents Be Concerned?

Changes in a child’s behavior or emotional health deserve attention, whether or not social media is the cause.

Talk with your child and consider speaking with their pediatrician if you notice:

• Withdrawal from family, friends, or usual activities
• Loss of interest in things they normally enjoy
• Significant changes in mood
• Difficulty sleeping
• Changes in appetite
• Problems concentrating on schoolwork
• Anxiety related to a phone or device
• Online activity consistently interfering with everyday responsibilities

A pediatrician can help families look at the bigger picture, including sleep, school, relationships, mental health and media habits.

Start the School Year With Healthy Digital Habits

Completely avoiding the online world isn’t realistic for most families. Children are growing up with technology, and part of parenting today is helping them learn how to use it safely and responsibly.

The beginning of a new school year offers a natural opportunity to reset routines. Talk about when and where devices will be used, establish boundaries around bedtime and homework, review the apps and platforms your child uses, and keep conversations about their online experiences going throughout the year.

Be aware, be vigilant, and be open with your kids.

Let’s Talk

Have questions about your child’s screen time, social media use, sleep, or digital habits? BMC pediatricians can help you navigate these conversations and develop healthy habits that work for your child and family.

Connect with our pediatricians in Boulder, Louisville, Erie, or Longmont to schedule a well-child visit or talk about concerns at any time of year.

Resources

• The 5 Cs of Media Use. Provides age-specific guidance for infants through older teens using the Child, Content, Calm, Crowding Out, and Communication framework. This is also a fantastic site for all things kids!
• The AAP Family Media Plan. Helps families establish priorities and expectations for media use at home.
• How to Talk to Teens About Social Media. Some of the pros and cons of social media and how parents can talk to their kids about it in a healthy way.