Today's kids are immersed in media. More than ever before, tweens and teens are watching, reading, listening, creating, and communicating throughout their entire day. It's become harder to distinguish between screen time and just … time. The newly released Common Sense Census found that American teens average about nine hours of media per day and tweens about six per day. If you're wondering how this all affects your kid -- there's no one-size-fits-all answer. But what's clear is that parents, teachers, and supportive adults can help support kids in using media and tech in healthy, productive, and responsible ways. Here are some top tips for parents (and for more detailed information check out our New Guide to Managing Media for Tweens and Teens):
- Parents should feel empowered to set limits on screens of all sizes.
- Encourage your kids to be creative, responsible consumers, not just passive users.
- Help kids understand the effects of multitasking.
- Talk the talk, walk the walk.