Parents putting screens in front of their kids is more about their own stress than other factors

New research says that when parents hand their kids a tablet, it's usually more about the parent's stress than the child's behavior. Researchers at Florida International University surveyed more than eight hundred parents of children ages four to eight and found that those experiencing high personal stress—work pressure, fatigue, life challenges—set fewer screen limits, regardless of how their kids actually behaved. About seventy percent of parents already report that managing children's screen use is itself a major source of stress. As families head into the new school year, The Conversation reports that experts recommend getting ahead of it: create a family media plan now, while you're calm, deciding on screen-free times, no devices at meals, and which apps are allowed. It's the difference between a six p.m. panic grab and a thoughtful decision made in advance.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton