Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Discussion Forum

How much screen time?

How much screen time?

by Guitar Girl -
Number of replies: 1

I have a 4 year old and we have deliberately not exposed him to screens very much at all. He does not know how phones or iPads work.  He only started watching movies 3 weeks ago (we now do a family movie afternoon once per week).   On average, he watches about 15 minutes per day and this started back in November.  He is very articulate and communicates well with adults and children and is quite advanced for his age, verbally.  The problem now is, well...you all know what the problem now is.  I have meetings to attend and work to do.  He refuses to do any independent play and I don't get even 5 minutes to myself all day. He is an only child.

My question is:  what have parents in a similar situation been doing about screen time during Covid-19?  I would love to hear how others' experiences of managing screen time during this stressful time.  

Thank you. 

In reply to Guitar Girl

Re: How much screen time?

by COVID19 Moderator -
Hi Guitar Girl, thanks for sharing with us. It can definitely be challenging balancing working from home and caring for children all at once.

It sounds like minimizing your child’s exposure to screen time is important to you. It can be helpful to create a daily routine with a list of activities that your child can engage in. Although they may not stay occupied for long stretches of time, it may help create blocks of time where you can get work done. Check out these resources for ideas, tips and support on coping with kids during the COVID pandemic.
• https://www.covidwithkids.org/home
• https://childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis/
• https://justworks.com/blog/parents-working-from-home-during-covid-19-how-manage-the-workday

Practicing self-care and managing your own stress is also important during this time. It may be helpful to speak to your employer about your concerns so that you can work together to develop a potential solution (i.e. flexible hours, reduced workload etc.). You can also visit our web page on coping with stress http://www.camh.ca/covid19#coping.