Article published by ABC

By: Laura Peraita

According to Qustodio‘s report, ‘From Alpha to Zeta, educating the digital generations’ of 2023, during the months of July and August the average number of minutes that children use apps increases by 66%. Are parents really aware of this increase in usage time? How should parents accompany them in this mission? For Ainhoa Marcos, VP Education Spain at ODILO, parental involvement is fundamental in the education of their children, especially in the management of screen usage. In her opinion, “parents must not only guide and supervise the appropriate use of these technologies but also control the time spent on them. They recognize that they face difficulties monitoring their children’s daily use of screens due to work commitments or when adolescents are alone at home. It is therefore crucial to accompany young people from the first day they use a screen”.

She explains that this accompaniment should include both monitoring of use and education about the benefits and risks associated with the technology. “An effective starting point is to establish a clear and constant dialogue focused on the objectives of using digital devices, such as the development of educational skills, the search for information, and responsible entertainment. In addition, it is essential to agree on and respect time limits for the daily use of these technologies. These limits should be considered regarding both time dedicated to education and free time, ensuring a healthy balance between digital activities and other physical, social, and recreational activities. Establishing specific schedules and clear rules encourages discipline and responsible use of technology”.

She adds that parents must also maintain open and flexible communication, adapting to their children’s changing needs and circumstances. This involves adjusting rules and limits according to young people’s age, development, and responsibilities, promoting a conscious and balanced use of screens.

What are the consequences for children and teenagers of spending more hours with screens? What is the recommended time for each age group?

In addressing the consequences of screen use in children, we must recognize that digital devices are a permanent presence in today’s society. Today’s children, considered ‘digital natives’, have been born into an era marked by the democratization of technological innovations. Using computers, cell phones, and tablets for educational, recreational, informational, and work purposes is a daily practice. The entire population shares this reality, but in the case of young people, it is an innate condition that will accompany them throughout their lives.

That said, the important thing is to pay attention to the purpose for which these devices are used. It is not the same as spending a certain number of hours consuming educational resources as playing video games. In the case of educational purposes, the latest PISA report highlights the multiple benefits offered by screens in the understanding and assimilation of the contents of educational plans. Screens are a channel that responds to the digital reality of young people. They provide new learning possibilities for students who do not find the textbook a sufficient resource, and reinforce the teachings of the teacher in the classroom with additional content that serves to underpin their learning process.

It is crucial to consider pediatricians’ recommendations about the implications of screen use on minors. Society’s primary goal is to ensure that children grow healthy and happy. Therefore, the premise should be a balance between analog and screen-based learning.

Is it common that in the summer, rules are relaxed, and parents allow children to spend more time with screens because, in this way, parents guarantee their own rest? Could it be due to a lack of information, or do parents already know the risks of leaving the bar free of screens?

The main recipe is training. Just as efforts are made to train teachers in the correct use of new technologies, it is essential to raise parents’ awareness of the importance of education regarding screen use. It is also their responsibility to understand how screens can be an allied resource that promotes their children’s learning and to know the risks to which minors are exposed if they misuse the tool.

The truth is that screens are a resource that is highly likely to promote better learning according to the interests and needs of children and adolescents, since technology is part of their daily lives.

The importance of moderate and supervised use of screens, guided by responsible adults, is emphasized. During the learning and development stage of young people, which includes long school days, the teacher’s figure also becomes essential to complement education and guide the proper use of digital devices. Despite being ‘digital natives’, young people lack knowledge about the risks and opportunities of screens at the beginning, so parents and teachers play a crucial role in educating them about their correct use. This digital education continues both at school and at home, where parents must also act as guides to ensure children and adolescents make conscious and beneficial use of technology.

What are the most realistic recommendations for controlling screen use with children? Is it less harmful if screens are dedicated to educational tasks? Does it become complicated later, with the return to school, to want to limit usage times again? Is there a way back, or is it already an impossible mission?

Learning must be blended, which implies that screens must coexist with other traditional educational resources to which young people must continue to have access. Therefore, it is crucial to teach them how to use these devices properly. In this way, we will ensure that, when given access for educational purposes, young people will comply with this objective and dispense with spending time on them for leisure or to distract themselves in class. In addition, we will also avoid any problems when we want to limit the use of these devices during periods when other uses are more important, such as vacations and weekends.

For its part, to effectively manage the use of screens with children it is advisable to establish clear and appropriate time limits according to the age and individual needs of the child, as well as to define what environments they have access to, it is not the same to be on social networking platforms watching videos that may be far from the content recommendations for their age and become harmful, than to be in a safe and secure environment, where quality educational content is offered, based on the interests of the child or teenager, but always ensuring that it is a safe environment and with quality content appropriate to the age.