When school’s out and structure fades, screens have a sneaky way of taking over. What starts as one episode or a five-minute scroll can stretch into hours, especially in summer, when long days, hot weather and the need to just get something done make screens feel both helpful and inevitable.
Sandy Reed, MD, pediatrician with Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health, has spent more than 27 years helping children — and now their children — grow through every stage of development. She’s seen firsthand what unchecked screen time can do to kids.
In this ParentingU episode, she offers warm, practical advice for setting screen time boundaries that work for your family.
“There’s so much joy to be found in childhood,” Dr. Reed says. “But I’m afraid that our kids are losing some of it. They’re forgetting how to play. They’re losing their imagination and creativity. They’re losing a love of nature, of beautiful things.”
As a pediatrician, parent and grandparent, Dr. Reed’s message is clear: The goal isn’t perfection — it’s balance.
Even in the unstructured days of summer, she encourages families to find rhythms that protect what matters most: imagination, connection and play.
Start with a Family Media Plan
The first step in managing screen time isn’t setting limits. It’s setting values.
“It’s really important as a family to create a family media plan,” Dr. Reed says. “Decide as parents what values and limitations you have for your family in managing media. What do you want your children to gain from technology — and what do you want to avoid?”
She recommends visiting the American Academy of Pediatrics website to build a customized plan, noting it’s a great tool for consistency and communication.
“If you set your guidelines and you stick to them and you’re very consistent, you’re less likely to get the negative feedback,” she says.
Consistency Beats Negotiation
Summer break often means long days and changing plans, but screen time rules shouldn’t be up for daily debate.
“Kids need to know what to expect,” Dr. Reed says. “If we say we’re not having any screen time between 9 and 1, and that’s just our plan, they’re not going to ask between 9 and 1. They know that’s the rule.”
Of course, she adds, what works for one family might not work for another.
“It’s what works for your schedule, for what you need to get done,” she says. “And we have to be willing to adapt. Sometimes we have to make exceptions.”
Understand the Effects of Screen Time
Dr. Reed sees the long-term impacts of excessive screen time every day in her clinic.
“We see delays in social skills, poor school performance, behavioral problems, anxiety and depression,” she says. “It means there’s less time for reading, exercising and spending time outdoors. Less time for creativity and imagination. It can even lead to sleep disturbance and obesity.”
Screens also affect children’s brain development, particularly when they replace face-to-face interaction.
“Too much screen time limits kids’ interaction with people,” Dr. Reed says. “That can make it difficult for our children to develop empathy and to read facial expressions and social cues.”
Not All Screen Time Is Equal
Dr. Reed encourages parents to think about how screens are being used — not just how long.
“There’s passive screen time, which involves mindless consumption, like scrolling or watching TV,” she explains. “Then there’s active screen time — things like educational games or digital art — that require cognitive or physical engagement.”
She also emphasizes the importance of shared screen time.
“When adults and children engage in screen time together, it’s generally more beneficial. It allows for guided learning, interaction, the development of social and cognitive skills.”
Even TV time can be better together. “Watching with your child is better than giving them an iPad to watch alone,” she says. “It just leads to isolation.”
Follow the AAP Guidelines
When it comes to how much screen time is too much, Dr. Reed stands by the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Ages 0–2: No screen time, except for video chatting with family.
Ages 2–5: No more than one hour a day. Keep it slow-paced, high-quality and not too flashy.
Ages 5+: Less than two hours of recreational screen time per day.
And regardless of age: “No screens at mealtimes, no screens one hour before bed and no screens in the bedroom overnight,” she says.
Give Boredom a Chance
One of the biggest losses with excessive screen use? Boredom. And Dr. Reed says that’s a problem.
“Screen time prevents boredom, and boredom leads to creativity and self-motivation,” she says. “Boredom is an opportunity and a gift.”
She encourages families to prepare by stocking up on creative supplies — art materials, books, even feathers for crafts.
“At the beginning of summer, make a bucket list as a family,” she suggests. “List activities and adventures, things to read or learn about. Just having the ideas ready can help.”
Model What You Want to See
Helping kids have a healthy relationship with screens starts with the grown-ups.
“It’s really good to co-play with your kids,” Dr. Reed says. “It’s also important to set a good example with your screen time. We need to model, mentor and monitor.”
She recommends using technology together to create, connect and explore — not just to consume. “All of us want our kids to be smarter, healthier, kinder and to have more face-to-face connections. That starts with us.”
Try These Screen Time Wins
Dr. Reed shared a few of her favorite kid-friendly apps and tools that make screen time feel more like enrichment:
- Super Stretch Yoga – Combines storytelling, animation and yoga poses for balance and movement
- Stop, Breathe & Think Kids – Meditation and mindfulness practices tailored for children
- Workout Kids – Videos with other children demonstrating simple movement routines
- Art Hub for Kids (YouTube) – Guided drawing videos to spark creativity
- Canva – kids can create fun presentations like “Ten Reasons I Love Cats” (or why they should go to Disney!)
“You can even let your kids choose a topic they’re curious about, research it together and make a project out of it,” she says. “It’s a great way to use tech for creativity and connection.”
Protecting Childhood Joy
As summer unfolds, Dr. Reed hopes parents will remember what’s really at stake.
“Today is a beautiful day,” she says. “I think you should go outside with your children, lie back in the grass, look up at the clouds and ask your children: What shapes do you see?”
Screens have their place. But summer — and childhood — should be filled with movement, imagination and wonder.
