Parents voice concerns over children's screen time and mental health risks

As children are increasingly exposed to technology through TVs, phones, and tablets, parents like Xia and Chimdi Chekwa are expressing concerns about the impact of screen time on their kids.

Xia Chekwa said her biggest worry is "finding things that I don't want them to see yet. That's my biggest concern: safety, security, growing up too quickly."

Her husband, former OSU football star Chimdi Chekwa, added, "The distraction, not being able to really think for themselves and develop and learn and do some of the things that they have a natural curiosity."

Their concerns are echoed by many parents. A survey by the Kids Mental Health Foundation identified privacy, misinformation, and lack of social interactions as the top three concerns parents have regarding screen time.

Dr. Ariana Hoet, Executive Clinical Director for The Kids Mental Health Foundation, emphasized the importance of setting rules for screen time, noting that more than three hours of screen time can double the risk of depression and anxiety. "When can you be on it? Who can you interact with? What other things do you need to be doing first?" she said.

"We know that when you set expectations ahead of time with kids, they're more likely to follow those rules than if you kind of surprise them with, you shouldn't be doing that." - Dr. Ariana Hoet

Dr. Hoet also stressed the need for children to engage in real-life interactions. "Screens, devices nowadays are meant to keep us hooked in, right? Adults have a hard time putting devices down. Kids with developing brains, they're always going to lose. And so, as the adults, we have to set boundaries for them. We have to get them to find that balance. What other things do you like? What other things do you enjoy? And really important that they are connecting with people outside of screens."

For the Chekwas, ensuring their children participate in outdoor and extracurricular activities is crucial.

"Those interactions set kind of their life and how they deal with challenges and issues, working with other people, working through problems with friends, with teammates, et cetera," Chimdi Chekwa said.

Added Xia: "We remind them every time we leave the house, when we pray together as a family or we go to events, we encourage them, like, you do your best."

Dr. Hoet concluded that by having daily conversations and teaching tech literacy, parents can build a healthy relationship with their children and protect them from the dangers of social media.