Screens, Kids and Balance: What Every Parent Should Know

Parenting expert Shalini Melwani turns her expert gaze to screentime.

Author/ Shalini Melwani
31 August 2026

In an increasingly digital world, it’s no secret that children are spending more time on screens. While technology can offer educational benefits and social opportunities, excessive screen time can lead to various challenges. As parents, it’s essential to understand the reasons behind this trend and how to guide our children toward healthier habits.

It is important to recognize that screens offer both positive and negative experiences. Many parents tend to focus only on the negatives, which can make conversations harder. It’s always best to talk about the positives first.

Let's look at some reasons why kids turn to screens…

The Positives

Creativity: Many games and apps encourage creativity, allowing kids to build characters, design worlds, or share their art.
Communication and Connection: Screens provide avenues for communication, helping kids maintain and nurture their friendships.
Information: News, trends, positive influencers, world events and current affairs.
Entertainment and Relaxation
Homework, Studies and Learning
Research
Reading
Community and Power: Online gaming and social platforms offer children a sense of belonging and empowerment, fostering communities where they can feel valued and recognised.

The Negatives

Boredom: Video games and social media offer instant entertainment and engagement, making them an easy default when children don’t know what to do with themselves.
Emotional Avoidance: For some children, screens serve as an escape. Scrolling through social media or gaming can provide a dopamine spike, temporarily alleviating feelings of stress or anxiety.
Sense of Winning: Video games often provide a sense of accomplishment that may be lacking in real life — this can be especially appealing for children who struggle with self-esteem.
Doom Scrolling
Negative Influencers
Social Media Pressure

The Importance of Open Dialogue

As a parent, it’s crucial to engage your children in conversations about their online activities. Before setting boundaries, show genuine interest in what they are doing. For example:

Ask to Play: “Can I join you in that game? What do you enjoy about it?”
Inquire About Interests: “Who is your favourite character? What do you find exciting about this?”
Discuss Avatars: “What’s the story behind your avatar? How did you choose your look?”

Setting Boundaries Together

Collaborative problem-solving is key to establishing healthy screen time habits. Children who are involved in making the rules are far more likely to follow them. Consider discussing and agreeing on:

Daily or weekly screen time limits
Designated tech-free times or areas in the home
Appropriate content guidelines

Talk to your children about having a healthy relationship with screens — covering both the advantages and the disadvantages honestly. Share facts, figures and statistics with them. Younger children in particular enjoy learning about how their brain works; you can explain, for example, how watching short videos can affect attention span over time.

What Parents Can Do

The number one thing parents can do is to ‘ Model healthy screentime’ and limit their own use.

Educate Yourself: Stay informed about the apps and platforms your children are using — understand their features, risks, and benefits.
Advocate for Change: Engage with schools to promote responsible technology use, including digital literacy programmes that teach children how to navigate online spaces safely.
No screens at the table for the whole family

Screens can be a double-edged sword, but open communication and collaboration can help foster healthier habits at home. By understanding why children turn to screens, setting boundaries together, and actively engaging in their digital lives, we can guide them toward making informed choices that prioritise their well-being. As parents, it’s on us to educate ourselves and navigate this digital landscape side by side with our children.

About the Author

Shalini Melwani

A proud mom of three adult children aged 39, 34, and 27. Shalini is a Certified Instructor of the Dr Thomas Gordon’s Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) Classes, accredited ADHD Parent Coach and a dedicated Parent Advocate. Through her multifaceted work, Shalini has become a trusted resource for parents seeking to enhance their parent/child connection through values-based parenting tools, navigate the challenges of raising a child with ADHD and other mild learning differences, and advocate for their children’s well-being. Her dedication to empowering families has made a lasting impact in the communities she serves.

www.parentingempowered.com
shalini@parentingempowered.com