A registered health visitor has shared what she considers the single most important step parents can take to stop children from becoming dependent on screens: controlling what they can access, rather than simply limiting how long they use them.
Ruth Watts, a registered health visitor in England, said her family is relaxed about screen time but strict on when children can use it and what they can watch. Her daughters, aged seven and eight, still choose imaginative play, role-play, games and arts and crafts over screens, she said.
What parents should block
Watts said anything addictive, fast-paced, or platforms such as Roblox, YouTube and KidsTube are blocked in her home. She also advised against using screens to calm a child who is dysregulated, arguing that children then do not learn how to calm down on their own.
She acknowledged that screen time is often used out of convenience, for example while preparing dinner or taking a shower, and recommended a standard television over a small tablet for younger children. She encouraged parents to watch together with their children as a shared experience rather than an isolated one.
When to avoid screens
Watts said screens should not be used to calm children down or when they are dysregulated, at meal times, or close to bedtime. If screens are affecting a child's sleep, parents should look at when they are being used and reduce use closer to bedtime.
She said babies, toddlers and children thrive on communication and social interaction, so they should not get that from a TV. She also reminded parents that they are the adults and can block content, delete apps and set boundaries, even if children are upset at first.
Official guidance for under-fives
The advice follows new UK government guidance on screen time for children under five. It says under-two-year-olds should avoid screen time except for shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation. Children aged two to five should have no more than one hour a day, avoiding screens at mealtimes and in the hour before bed.
The guidance also recommends slow-paced, age-appropriate content and says fast-paced, social media-style videos and AI toys or tools should be avoided for young children. Co-viewing, where parents watch or use screens with their child and engage with the content, is better for development than solo screen use.
