In a world where every interaction teens have is connected digitally, they are surrounded by technology. Whether it’s from TikTok, group chat, researching for school projects, or streaming video and music, technology plays a key role in their lives. While technology allows for connection and learning, it can also result in numerous challenges, particularly as screen use encroaches upon things such as sleep, physical activity, in-person interactions, and mental and emotional health.
Managing the amount of time on a screen is not about eliminating technology. Instead, it’s about finding a digital balance that will support a teen’s ability to be successful in both the digital and physical environments. Using the tools and techniques available, teens can regain control of their screen time and make more thoughtful choices on healthy technology habits.
How Screens Impact Teen Health and Behavior
According to a 2024 study by the Pew Research Centre, 97% of U.S. teens use the internet on a daily basis. 46% of teens state that they are online “almost all of the time.” Even with over half of teens reporting that they have attempted to reduce their use of technology, many teens still express difficulty with “disconnecting”, especially regarding social media sites. The information provided from the Pew Research Centre illustrates a digital landscape that is viewed as a need for many teens despite it being a negative experience.
Brain Development and the Reward System: The adolescent brain continues to develop, particularly in the areas of impulse control and emotion regulation. Social media and gaming apps were designed specifically to create a dopamine response from the users’ brains, causing teens to be more at risk for continuing to scroll through their feed or continue to play video games. Sleep deprivation can have negative effects on mood, concentrating ability, and academic performance. Developing healthy technology habits can help interrupt these reward-seeking cycles and promote more mindful engagement.
Family and Peer Dynamics: Teens are greatly influenced by the digital habits of their peer group, especially family members. If parents are constantly using their phones, this sends the message to teens that this is an acceptable habit, and as a result, many will continue the practice of using their phones while they are with others. Rigid expectations of a parent, and a child having a lack of understanding of the motivations of those rules, may create an atmosphere where secrets are kept, and potentially result in defiance from the teens. Healthy digital habits can be cultivated more effectively by parents modeling mindful behavior regarding their own use of technology and having open dialogue with their child about those behaviors.
Practical Strategies for Teens
Set Screen Usage Goals: Use tools like apps and built-in tools to track your use of technology and set realistic goals for yourself. Make it a goal to create specific tech-free time (meals and bedtime) in order to support healthy emotional health and increased family cohesion. There are resources available at GetParentingTips.com that can be useful for building healthy routines as a family and reinforcing healthy technology habits.
Use Device Built-in Tools: Apple has an app called Screen Time, which allows users to track the time spent on certain apps, control notifications, and create daily app usage limits. Android has a product called Digital Wellbeing, which provides similar tools. users can see trends and discover opportunities for resetting their digital habits and reinforcing healthy technology habits.
Focus on Meaningful Activities: Replace additional screen time with something energizing, such as exercise, music, journaling, or spending time with people in face-to-face situations. Youths who participate in creative, physical, or social offline activities commonly report a higher level of life satisfaction and a reduced level of stressor. These alternative choices encourage the development of healthy technology habits.
Parent-Teen Teamwork
Digital balance is a partnership between parents and youths, not just the responsibility of youth. Each family member should work together to be successful. Parents can provide digital balance through their support:
Co-Create Agreements: When it comes to developing a family media plan, parents should allow youth to take an active role in co-creating rules rather than being told what the rules will be. Parents should talk to their youths about the apps they find most useful and the times they feel the most distraction while on their devices. Co-creating rules helps teens feel ownership over their healthy technology habits.
Avoid Complete Device Bans: If parents completely ban their child from using their phone or take it away as a form of discipline, many times the consequence can lead to behaviors of adolescent secrecy or using devices without their parents’ knowledge of it. Instead of enforcing strict bans, parents can help to illuminate and encourage youths to create their own screen time goals and healthy technology habits.
Lead by Example: Youths are influenced by their parents. If parents use social media for staggering amounts of time in the evenings, checking their email during meals, etc., it will be difficult to expect different behavior from their child. Parents should set their screen limits for everyone, not just for their children. Modeling healthy technology habits demonstrates consistency and shared responsibility.
Partner in Creating Family Media Plans: Families can also work together with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and use their Family Media Plan to establish guidelines for how much time members can spend on screens as well as to set individual and family goals related to offline activities. Family media plans often include ideas for screen time limits per day, offline activity goals, and tech-free time frames. These structures support long-term healthy technology habits.
Acknowledge Progress: Developing a sense of digital balance is more about the process than it is about being perfect. If your child achieves a new limit during the week or meets their screen time goal, acknowledge and reward them for that. This reward will reinforce their new habit or help them perhaps keep their motivation intact for continuing to develop positive, healthy technology habits.
Final Thoughts: Balance Over Ban
Your child doesn’t need to be lectured or locked down from their technology; they need support to help build structure and trust. Developing the sense of digital balance is not about punishing teens, but about creating awareness and educating teens about the complete aspect of a teen’s ability to have digital balance in their life; that is, between creativity, focus, play/movement/interaction, as well as rest. When a teen understands why digital balance is important, and has had the opportunity to be empowered to consciously choose the best times to engage in technology, this development with a focus on healthy technology habits lay the foundation for lifelong wellness in a digital world.
