How much screen time is too much?

If your teenager can’t tear themselves away from their screen, it may be time for a talk. 

Computers and smartphones are awesome. They connect us to our friends, they help us do schoolwork more efficiently and let’s be honest, they’re super fun. But, as fun and social as they can be, we’re all guilty of overdoing it. While most of the time a little bit of scrolling or gaming is great, it’s important to know when it’s time to pull the plug (so to speak).

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Aright, we’re going to rattle off some hard truths and statistics for you now, that may surprise even the most internet-savvy parentals. For example, did you know 83% of teens access the internet three or more times every day? No? Didn’t think so. Or how about this tasty morsel: the number of teens who access the internet between 12 am and 6 am has doubled in the past five years. Sneaky, hey?

You can see how these truth bombs are all super problematic. Up all night, gaming- eyes fixed to blue light, it’s nauseating. And not only will your hormonal teen be cranky and tired all day (as teenagers do), but they may also start developing some more serious side effects. Nasty things like:

·         Lack of interest in social activities

·         Anxiety and irritability

·         Obsessive behaviour

·         Tiredness, headaches and sore eyes

To name a few.

If you start to notice any of the warning signs above in your teenager/s, it’s time to have a talk about healthy habits and the internet.

Make sure you reassure them it’s not the end of the world; it’s just a chat about making time for all those special real-world things. So, encourage them to take breaks, turn off notifications and make sure they’re not using devices before bed (that’s a big no-no).

If you want some more information, we’ve got this very charming video to help you understand everything we’ve just rambled on about a bit better.

Need some advice? Make sure you check out our Student Resources page for more information.

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