AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Do you wish your teen would spend less time glued to their phone, or are you worried about how fixated your toddler seems to be to that tablet? Well, moms and dads, according to a 2024 study from Pediatric Research, one of the strongest predictors of a child's screen time is their parents' screen time. So what does it take to be a good digital role model? Andee Tagle of NPR's Life Kit is here to help us set the tone for technology use in your family home. Hey, Andee.
ANDEE TAGLE, BYLINE: Hey, Ayesha.
RASCOE: So what I'm hearing from this study is that children imitate their parents. Does that mean parents have to swear off their cellphones whenever they're with their kids? You know, zero screen time?
TAGLE: No, definitely not, so any app-happy parents listening can take a deep breath. The answer here is not to go full Luddite. I spoke with Jean Twenge about this. She's a psychology professor and researcher. She just came out with the book "10 Rules For Raising Kids In A High-Tech World." And on top of knowing a lot about this subject, she's a mom of three, and her guiding philosophy at home is pretty simple. I'd sum it up with just being really intentional with your use of technology - using your devices for what they're good for.
JEAN TWENGE: Whether that's doing your homework or making that phone call or sending a text, but then trying to focus on other things for the rest of the time. So use it for what it's good for and put it away.
TAGLE: Twenge isn't saying no tech, but she is kind of saying no more tech than is strictly necessary. One way to do this? Anchor points. So ideally, you want to aim for every device to have one specific function or specific location. For example, you can designate just the TV for entertainment like movies and shows versus the TV and the laptop and the phone. And what that does is keep every corner of the house from being available for screen time 24/7. A similar kind of flip-side idea is device-free zones. So those can be physical spaces or times on the schedule or both. So a lot of families go device-free at meal time, for example. The next one is a biggie, and it's a hard-and-fast rule for good health that a lot of experts agree on.
RASCOE: Ah. So am I going to like what's coming?
TAGLE: You're not going to like it, Ayesha.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
TAGLE: I'm sorry. I know that, like me, you're a fan of falling asleep to the TV. But Twenge says if there is only one rule you can follow in your home, it should be no electronic devices in the bedroom overnight.
TWENGE: And that's for people of all ages. So a ton of research shows that people do not sleep as well or as long if those devices are in their bedrooms overnight. So even if it's off, that seems to disrupt sleep.
TAGLE: Even if off. Just one example for you - Common Sense Media did a study where they tracked kids' phones. They found that 60% of 11- to 17-year-olds use their phone between midnight and 5 a.m. on school nights.
RASCOE: I believe it. I got them kids. I believe it.
(LAUGHTER)
TAGLE: So a fix here - just having a family charging station in the living room or another communal area. You could also have timed lockboxes - a more extreme version - and then you can maybe invest in a, you know, cute new retro alarm clock.
RASCOE: These all sound like good ideas, but I'm also thinking about how tied my job is to my phone and my laptop. And there are a lot of people out there like me who don't always have a choice to ignore their technology.
TAGLE: Yeah, it's true. Phubbing happens - phone snubbing. So if you have to use your tech around your kids, you can narrate and counterbalance. You can let them know you're not just ignoring them. You want to explain what you're doing and why you're doing it, and then make up for it where you can. So, for example, Mom's got to be on a Zoom call for the next 20 minutes. As soon as I'm off, I'll help you get ready for school. And then this afternoon, we're going to the park, just you and me, kid.
RASCOE: That sounds like a plan. Life Kit's Andee Tagle, thank you so much.
TAGLE: I hope it's helpful, Ayesha. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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