As a working mom to a 1- and 6-year-old, keeping screen time in check during the early stages of the pandemic could feel futile. My older child’s kindergarten class was entirely virtual, and after the school day his sole cartoon viewing multiplied as I struggled to get my work done. My husband and I also found ourselves addicted to our screens. After entire days spent on our laptops, we would unwind in the evenings by watching endless episodes of House Hunters International while scrolling through social media. We were all in survival mode, disregarding the possibility of long-term damage.
Luckily, things have improved this year. My son is back in school and playing sports. My toddler hits the playground frequently again and spends ample hours causing a media-free raucous at grandma’s house. Screens are still a crutch but we’re doing our best to get things back in check: spending less time on tablets, skipping TV, and trimming our time on Instagram and Twitter. We’re doing the best we can because we assume, on a broader level, that too much screen gazing isn’t good for our children’s development — or for our adult brains.
