The COVID-19 pandemic transformed daily life, postponing events like parties and weddings, disrupting education, and reshaping work across sectors. Yet one of the most profound shifts occurred within families, as digital screens became central to everyday routines.
Contents 1 Pre-pandemic, 80% of children were already interested in screens! 2 What are the dangers for children? The digital overdose 3 How to manage the time that toddlers spend on the Internet? 4 Screens:not necessarily harmfulWith parents working from home and children attending remote lessons, screens dominated family time. This trend predated the pandemic: 52% of parents reported smartphone addiction, and 89% of children under 8 already used touchscreens.
What are the risks of children's digital engagement? How can families navigate this during lockdowns? This article provides an expert-informed overview.
From age 3, most children regularly interact with screens, favoring tablets while a third use smartphones. They adeptly navigate digital environments, much like their parents' generation.
Brands capitalize on this with youth-targeted apps. Facebook's Messenger Kids, for ages 6-12, mimics Messenger without ads—but ethical concerns linger.
Parents aren't immune: a 2012 UK study found 66% of smartphone users suffer without their device, coining 'nomophobia' (no mobile phobia). This subtle addiction integrates into daily life more insidiously than substances.
For adults, excessive screen time impairs memory and focus—why memorize when Google is handy? Constant distractions and multitasking overwhelm the brain, which isn't wired for simultaneity.
Children face amplified risks: developing brains lack adult self-discipline. Addictive apps may stunt language growth. Notably, 28% prefer app games over toys, sidelining essential exploration that fosters cognitive, empathetic, and social skills through play, reading, and nature.
One hour of Candy Crush entertains but doesn't match these developmental benefits.
Awareness drives action: 97% of parents enforce rules like screen-free play, no parental phone use around kids, time limits, and open risk discussions (nearly 30%).
Experts agree. Elsa Job-Pigeard of 'joue pense parle' recommends no screens before 3: "Young children need full attention to explore with all five senses alongside an adult." For ages 3-10, limit to 10-20% of free time.
Psychiatrist Serge Tisseron's '3-6-9-12' rule: no TV before 3, no consoles before 6, no internet before 9, no social media before 12. Parents must model behavior—kids imitate.
Context matters. During lockdowns, 6-12-year-olds averaged 7 hours daily on screens, mostly for education.
Screens also connected families. Lyon 3 lecturer Catherine Dessinges notes: "Screens served qualitative, social purposes as communication tools," like video chats with distant relatives.
