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The October half-term holidays begin this week for many schoolchildren across the countryA new survey has found about one in five parents are unsure on what a reasonable screen time limit is for their childA similar amount admit they don’t feel confident managing their child’s social media useBut a tech expert says there are a few simple ways to keep it under control - and avoid any resistance The half-term holiday is now here for most schoolchildren across England. The more rigid structure of the school day will dissolve for the next week. And with all of that extra free time available, the allure of scrolling on social media for an extra few hours will likely start to beckon. But it’s all too easy for screen time to get out of hand. The Government is even considering a potential two-hour social media limit for young people, amongst other measures, with technology secretary Peter Kyle previously saying they wanted to help parents who felt “disempowered” to manage their child’s “compulsive behaviour”. Uswitch Broadband recently polled 500 UK parents on their children’s social media habits, and on how they managed it as a family. Here’s what they found - as well as how one of their experts says you can better manage it over the coming school holidays: ‘Parents need help’: How they’re managing screen time at home About one in five (21% ) of parents surveyed said they were unsure what “reasonable” screen time actually looks like for children. A similar proportion said that at the moment, their child spent between one and three hours a day on these platforms, while an additional 12% said they were spending three or more hours per day online. Overall, nearly three-quarters (73%) felt confident in managing their children’s social media use – a promising sign. But almost one in five (19%) were not, while about 7% of parents also disclosed that they didn’t manage their children’s social media use at all. Parents said the top challenge they faced in enforcing social media limits with their child was finding a way to actually monitor their use, with over a third (35%) citing this as a top concern. Some 32% of parents also struggled with resistance from their children, while the same amount found it hard to keep track across multiple devices and accounts. They were largely in favour of a proposed Government time limit too, with two-thirds (66%) of UK parents either strongly or somewhat supporting it. But Uswitch expert Max Beckett said that there was a more general need for education and guidance too. “While the Government discusses a potential two-house usage cap, over one in five parents are unsure what reasonable screen time is, which makes setting limits at home increasingly difficult,” he said. “Fourteen per cent also cited a lack of knowledge around the apps and platforms in use, reflecting the need for greater education and awareness of social media today.” Tips for managing your child’s social media use over the half-term holiday Mr Beckett has also shared a few of his top tips to help parents struggling to manage their child’s social media use – especially with the school holidays coming up. Here’s his advice: 1. Have open conversations Having open, non-judgemental discussions about social media and its potential pitfalls can not only help alert your child to the risks they might face online, but also help the both of you understand each other’s feelings about it better. This can help to eliminate resistance from children; an issue many parents admit struggling with. “The first step to avoiding resistance from young family members is to have a calm discussion around what they enjoy out of their time online, allowing space for children to help set their boundaries with your support,” he said. “Share your concerns openly and focus on the positive impact of managing their social media use together.” 2. Set boundaries Finding balance between time spent on social media and other activities – like exercising or spending time with friends – can be tricky for anyone. Especially during the holidays when the structure of the school day disappears. Mr Beckett said for parents, it was also “one of the hardest parts of monitoring your children’s social media usage”. “Start by agreeing on daily limits and creating screen-free zones like the dinner table and before bed. It may also be helpful to model this behaviour yourself, so be mindful of your scrolling habits to show you’re aligned as a family on your approach to social media,” he continued. 3. Make the most of parental controls “Your internet provider will have its own set of unique safety features which help to give you autonomy over your family’s screen time,” he said. “This will give you peace of mind knowing the controls you add will apply no matter what device your child is using.” Features Wi-Fi routers have may include family filters to block inappropriate content, the ability to plan connectivity hours, or even the option to set access for specific devices like tablets, consoles, or laptops. Some social media platforms also allow parents to pair their account with their child’s for additional controls and protections, like TikTok. Be sure to explore these options on your child’s favourite apps too. 4. Be flexible Finally, Mr Beckett said that one size does not fit all. “Regularly review limits set on your children as they grow, and try allowing them to set their own limits to feel empowered by their online choices.” He added: “Consider allowing more time for special occasions or adapting rules during downtime like the school holidays.” Want to learn more about how phone use could be impacting you child? Here’s our coverage of what an investigation by Parliament’s Education Committee found.
