Back-to-School: How to help kids balance screen time with homework

FOX 2 - When it comes to tackling homework, all experts recommend that parents help their kids come up with a schedule or a strategy, and then stick to it. 

With phones, tablets and other devices – it may seem impossible to pull kids away from their screens. But pediatrician Gina Robinson from Cleveland Clinic Children’s says it is important to set limits for them, especially during the school year.

"Two hours of recreational screen time is what we like to aim for," Robinson said. "That is more realistic in some households than others, but we really try to at least set some kind of limits beforehand."

And while keeping kids' screen time at two hours or less a day may seem challenging, Dr. Robinson said consistency is key, and stressed that it’s best to have set rules in place before kids get on their devices – to avoid unexpectedly stopping them in the middle of a TV show or video game, which could lead to conflict.

If parents have taken a more lenient approach to screen time during the summer, it is advised to have a conversation with them about it now to ensure that children remain focused on their schoolwork and do not risk falling behind.

When it comes to actually enjoying screen time, Robinson said parents can try finding ways to make it more of a family activity.

"Making it special so that if you watch movies together on Friday nights, and that's how you use your screen time, and you maybe go outside and set up a projector screen," she said. "Or you get popcorn, or you do something just to make it a little bit more special, and a little bit more of a family activity."

Robinson added that it is important for parents to lead by example. And that means parents need to take breaks from their devices if they want their kids to do so as well. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics have a Family Media Plan on their website, which can help parents with planning out screen time and setting priorities. The plan can be found here.