Is My Child Spending Too Much Time Online?

September 7, 2021

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (2010), the average young person (defined as anyone between the ages of eight and 18) spends 10 hours and 45 minutes a day online. For youth on the high end of the usage spectrum, spending this much time on social media platforms—both online and offline—robs them of real-world experiences and may result in lower grades, increase their risk for depression, cut into the time needed for sleep, and result in other negative health effects. Within these averages, there are significant differences in how youths spend their time online, and knowing where your child or teen falls within the internet usage categories is the first step in understanding whether or not you want to adjust the amount of time they spend online, or if a larger problem in their internet use habits may be brewing.

Compulsive web addiction

Whether compulsive internet use fits into the formal category of addiction or not, there is clear evidence demonstrating that some internet users develop a compulsive need to be online that interferes with their daily activities, their relationships, and their health. This is very similar to the effects that any addiction has on a person. Though researchers are far from fully understanding the cause and effect relationship between internet use and maladaptive behavior (and to the extent these relationships correlate with each other), evidence suggests that the risk to youth for developing these issues is much greater than it is for older internet users.

If you are unsure whether your child is facing internet addiction, seek out professional services via your healthcare provider. Nowadays, those suffering from an internet addiction have access to healthcare professionals and clinics that specialize in evaluating whether youths may be suffering from compulsive internet use. Is it possible that most internet users have developed or at some point experienced an unhealthy reliance on this technology? Perhaps. Certainly, the number of internet users are increasingly growing, and there is also a yearly increase in the amount of hours the average individual spends online. This is a reality that affects not only young people, as all internet users are vulnerable to the threat of internet addiction.

Recommendations for Managing Internet Abuse:

Limit internet access: Limit the number of hours your kids spend online if you find them consistently glued to a screen during odd hours.

Plan internet access: Make sure children understand when it is appropriate for them to spend time online, and ensure they follow parental guidelines.

Restrict gaming: During exams or periods when you know your child should be focused on schoolwork, install software or block access to game consoles to ensure they don’t get distracted.

If after trying these tips you still notice a child is having a troubled relationship with the internet or unable to effectively manage their screen time, it is best to contact your pediatrician or a certified healthcare professional for further help.