Summer Screen Time Limits

Summer is near! Time flies. No one understands that more than a parent. And while the days of our littles splashing around in kiddie pools are incredible, we’re here to remind you that the best is yet to come. 🥰

Parenting kids in the digital age is overwhelming to say the least. That’s why we made a guide as parents — for parents — trying to navigate a world no one prepared us for. This isn’t just about screen time. It’s about understanding what’s really happening on your child’s phone and what you can actually do about it. Check out our Screen Sense guide today! 

The Summer Screen Time Conundrum

School’s (almost) out for summer. You know what that means! Well…a lot of things (shuffling sweaty kids to camps, sweaty moms waiting in sweaty cars to pick up the next sweaty child…are you sensing a theme here). But chief among them is idle time for our kids. Without schoolwork to keep them busy, teens are left to their own devices…literally. Enforcing a screen-free summer feels unrealistic and if you’re anything like us, deeply hypocritical! Screens are just part of life now. But like everything in parenting, it is important to set a boundary. Setting screen time limits for any season is important but especially for the summer. It is when some of the best memories are made! And our teens will miss out if they’re having hours long TikTok and YouTube marathons. So we should all try to do our best to create tech-free zones and be mindful of when and where we use our phones…

And yes, we said we. That means us parents too. We have to model good behavior by being present and encouraging meaningful offline connections. Time to practice what we preach! 

Teen and Exercise

Newsflash: physical activity is good for teens. Ok hopefully that isn’t news to any parents! But this isn’t just us saying it, it’s coming from our teens themselves! 90 percent of teens report that exercise improves their mood and a whopping 93 percent of teens say exercise is particularly helpful when they’re handling challenges. Mental and physical health are connected for all people but it’s especially apparent for teenagers. But just because something is good for you, doesn’t mean people always do it (trust us, we get it!). 50% of teens say they exercise significantly left during the summer. That makes sense–there are less organized sports, no gym class and a lot more free time for them to get lost in their phones. 

Summer often lacks structure. Exercise is often part of a routine. So it’s best to try and get your teen into some kind of a schedule this summer that works for them. Whether it’s taking advantage of free programs that local gyms and community centers offer or presenting exercising as a family activity is a great start. But if that feels like too much too soon, you can encourage your teen to incorporate exercise into their daily tasks–like walking the dog or mowing the lawn. It doesn’t have to be super strenuous or structured, moving their body is what counts! 

Who To Follow: Positive Influencers For Teens

Social media isn’t all doom and gloom. There are some huge positives that can come from it, especially for teens! We’ve decided to highlight one account per week that we think teens could benefit from following! 

A few issues back, we discussed the impact of the show Adolescence and how it sparked a tough but necessary conversation about today’s generation of young men. We need better role models for our boys, and that starts with accounts like We Are Man Enough. This page promotes positive versions of masculinity and encourages young men to embrace being vulnerable and in tune with their emotions. We love to see it!