If you have a little one at home, chances are you’ve seen how easily they get hooked to screens. Mealtime often comes with a cartoon playing in the background, a trip to the mall is easier when they’re handed a tablet, and bedtime tantrums are replaced with quiet scrolling on a phone. For many parents, screens have become the quickest fix to keep children occupied, calm, or cooperative.

Yet, most parents also know by now that too much screen time isn’t good for kids; it can affect everything from their sleep and attention span to how they play and interact with the world. Still, the struggle is real. The moment you try to take a device away, you’re faced with tears, tantrums, and negotiations. It almost feels impossible to break the cycle.

But here’s the question—can screens really be erased from a child’s life in today’s world? After all, technology is woven into everything. You want your kids to video call their grandparents, learn through interactive apps, or simply stay engaged while you juggle work. In such a setting, is zero screen time even realistic, or is it more of a myth?

How screen time really impacts kids

Dr Sowmyashree Mayur Kaku, visiting consultant, child and adolescent mental health, Rainbow Children’s Hospitals, Bengaluru, tells India Today that when children spend long hours glued to a screen, the effects can pile up quickly.

Reduced physical activity is often the first consequence, as screen time replaces outdoor play and movement. It also strains their eyes, making them more prone to fatigue and discomfort.

Over time, late-night viewing or gaming can disrupt natural sleep cycles, leading to irregular sleep patterns and a disturbed circadian rhythm. This, in turn, may contribute to issues like obesity.

In many Indian households, screens have also become a go-to tool for managing children. But while it may seem convenient in the moment, the long-term impact on children’s health and well-being cannot be ignored.

Further, Dr Nitin M, consultant paediatrician and neonatologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Bengaluru, shares that during Covid-19 and the years that followed, we saw a sharp increase in children with developmental delays, autism-like behaviours, and behavioural issues.

Because they were confined indoors, their exposure to the outside world, social interactions, and free play was severely restricted. Many children became hyperactive, struggled with communication, and showed speech delays.

The doctor explains that excessive screen use contributed significantly to these concerns.

Children addicted to screens often struggle with social interaction, have poor communication skills, and display signs of autistic-like behaviour, making it even harder for parents to reduce their dependency on devices.

The impact on mental health

Research and clinical evidence show that excessive screen and internet use, sometimes reaching the level of internet addiction, which is now a diagnosable disorder, can significantly affect the mental well-being of children and adolescents, Dr Kaku explains.

The doctor goes on to share that even in young children, unregulated screen exposure can lead to harmful imitation behaviours. “I once saw a three-year-old try to mimic a dangerous action scene from a movie, putting himself at risk without realising it. Such incidents highlight how screens can sometimes trigger risky or unsafe behaviours.”

At a less extreme level, excessive screen time can cause poor concentration, irritability, difficulty completing tasks, and challenges with attention, and can resemble ADHD-like behaviours.

Older children and adolescents face additional risks, including anxiety and depression linked to social media use. Late-night smartphone use can disrupt sleep, disturb circadian rhythms, and even affect puberty development, all of which are closely tied to emotional regulation.

Not just this, but excessive internet use also exposes children to cyberbullying and harmful online content. This is why parental monitoring, guidance, and digital literacy are essential.

Does content matter?

Screen time is not always harmful. According to Dr Vivek Jain, senior director and unit head, paediatric, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi, when used for educational purposes, creative exploration, or with active parental engagement, it can actually spark curiosity and support learning.

“Once children are old enough, parents can encourage educational or creative content, such as documentaries, animal shows, or interactive learning apps, that spark curiosity and learning,” agrees Dr Nitin M.

But ultimately, the responsibility lies with parents to set boundaries and offer alternatives.

We often forget that not too long ago, children grew up without mobile phones, tablets, or even constant TV. Instead, they read books, played outdoors, interacted with friends, and explored hobbies.

Those activities not only kept them engaged but also nurtured their social, emotional, and physical development.

Dr Nitin tells us that even today, children who are less dependent on screens are often more active, curious, and expressive.

Setting limits on screen time

How much screen time is right for children is a dilemma most parents grapple with. On one hand, you want to protect them from potential harm, but on the other, you don’t want to deprive them of opportunities to learn and grow in a digital world.

Dr Jain says that as per standard clinical guidelines, children under the age of two should have no screen exposure, except for occasional video calls.

For children aged two to five, up to one hour of high-quality, educational content is considered appropriate. Meanwhile, children between six and 12 can have 1–2 hours of screen time per day, while teenagers should ideally not exceed two hours daily.

Further, Dr Nitin M shares that another common practice we often hear in the OPD is that some parents allow children to watch TV during meals to encourage them to eat. While it may seem like a helpful trick, it’s not ideal.

Mealtime should be an active experience where children focus on what they are eating, rather than passively watching a screen.

Parents should try to engage kids in the process of eating, whether by making mealtime interactive, encouraging conversation, or involving them in simple food-related tasks, and avoid screen time during meals altogether.

Is zero screen time possible?

These days, getting kids to stay completely away from screens is almost impossible, says Dr Kaku. They use them for video calls, online classes, extracurricular activities, and even for accessing many educational or government resources. So, instead of aiming for zero screen time, the focus should be on balanced, age-appropriate use.

Keeping an eye on how long kids are on screens and what they’re watching really helps. With some guidance, children can use screens safely and for good purposes. But for kids who are at higher risk, like those dealing with anxiety, obesity, depression, or developmental delays, it’s better to keep screen use to a minimum. That way, there’s more time for quality interaction, social bonding, early learning, and stimulation.

Social media can usually be avoided, but screens used for learning, video calls, and staying in touch with family can still be part of a child’s routine, just with proper supervision.

Keeping screen time in check, the easy way

Dr Kaku feels that one of the most practical ways to manage screen time is to have a structured routine. For younger children, screen use often happens when parents need to get things done or supervise other tasks, so giving them a tablet or phone becomes a quick solution. For older kids, it’s usually about chatting with friends, social media, or scrolling online.

The key is to make sure children are kept busy with equally engaging alternatives. Screen-free times work best when replaced with fun, meaningful activities like playing with friends, participating in extracurriculars, cycling, cricket, or visiting the park after homework. The more options they have to explore and engage with, the less they rely on screens.

Creating device-free zones in the house, especially in bedrooms, also helps reinforce limits. Another important point is parental modelling; kids notice if parents are glued to screens all the time, so setting a good example is essential.

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