Screen time
What limits parents allow their children
In the past you had to read secretly in bed with a flashlight. Today smartphones light up on their own.
© imago/Westend61/Nina Janeckova
Many children are magically drawn to screens. A current survey shows how parents in Germany react to this.
Digital media have long since become an integral part of the everyday lives of children and young people. Smartphones, tablets and computers are used for school purposes as well as for entertainment and communication. Parents are increasingly faced with the challenge of controlling their media use To regulate children sensibly and to counteract possible excessive consumption. A current study provides information about how parents in Germany limit their children’s screen time and what strategies they use.
The study by the digital association Bitkom, for which more than 900 children and young people between the ages of 6 and 18 in Germany were surveyed, shows that almost half (46 percent) of parents set clear time limits for the use of digital media when is not about school applications. Such rules are particularly widespread among younger children. 67 percent of six to nine year olds and 69 percent of ten to twelve year olds have time constraints for the daily use of smartphones, tablets, etc.
For older young people, however, the number of parental instructions decreases significantly. Only 36 percent of parents of 13 to 15 year olds set a maximum usage period. From the age of 16, time requirements of only five percent are the exception, which shows that older young people are increasingly taking more responsibility for their own media consumption.
Increase in media use with age
As you get older, the amount of time you are allowed to use media also increases. While children aged six to nine are allowed to spend an average of 50 minutes per day in front of digital devices, the limit rises to 90 minutes for ten to twelve year olds. For 13 to 15 year olds, the average daily media time is 115 minutes, while 16 to 18 year olds are allowed to use screen media for around 117 minutes – if there are any time restrictions at all.
The numbers illustrate the growing influence of digital media on the everyday lives of children and young people. In addition to school activities, they also use the devices for chatting, playing games and streaming. The Bitkom study highlights the importance of parental control, especially for younger children who have not yet developed strong media habits.
BZgA warned about problematic media use as early as 2019
Five years ago, a study by the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) showed how important this parental control is. The BZgA pointed this out in 2019that 22.4 percent of 12 to 17 year olds in Germany have problematic use of digital media. In addition, 5.8 percent of young people are already affected by a computer game or internet-related disorder.
In particular, the constant availability of digital content was already seen as problematic back then, as it could lead children and young people to intensify their media consumption. The BZgA therefore recommended setting clear boundaries and planning media-free activities together.
Recommendations for parents: Be a role model and consciously spend time together
Both the current Bitkom study and the BZgA results emphasize the role of parents as role models in media consumption. Parents should not only keep an eye on their children’s digital consumption, but also reflect on their own behavior. Dr. Heidrun Thaiss, former head of the BZgA, pointed out in 2019 that digital media can be useful, but should not affect family coexistence. Shared activities without digital devices – such as board games, sports or walks – should be regularly integrated into everyday life.
The BZgA also recommends that children under three years of age should not use screen media, while a maximum usage time of 30 minutes per day is recommended for children between three and six years of age. For children between the ages of six and ten, 45 to 60 minutes per day is recommended. These recommendations are intended to help parents make their children’s media consumption healthy and protect them from possible negative consequences.