Snowed in and logged on: Screen time tips for families

The University of Kentucky Public Relations and Strategic Communications Office provides a weekly health column available for use and reprint by news media. This week’s column is by Mary Shea, Ph.D., pediatric psychologist at Golisano Children’s at UK.

LEXINGTON, KY (Feb. 9, 2026) – When snow and ice cancels school and energetic kids are trapped inside, many families use increased screen time to help stave off the ‘cabin fever.’ Research shows that screen time isn’t always a bad thing in times like this. However, many factors, such as the quality of the content, can contribute to increased screen time having a negative impact. Here are some tips on how you can set up your home for screen time success.

Start with the “5 Cs” of screen time. The “5 Cs” are guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help parents and caregivers determine how much screentime is appropriate. 

• Child: Because all children are different, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to screentime. Do they seek out content that supports their interests, or does exposure to social media increase their anxiety?

• Content: Research shows that content quality shapes whether kids have positive or negative relationships with media. Ask questions about what they play and watch and help them think about how the content could affect them.

• Calm: Some kids use screen time to help fall asleep or manage big feelings. Talk to their pediatrician about other ways to help calm their minds and bodies.

• Crowding out: Is screen time replacing family time? Rather than just focusing on reducing screen time, help your family think about they can do instead, such as family movie night, playing in the snow or playing board games.

• Communication: Talk about media early and often; this will help kids build media literacy helps you identify when your child or teen is having a hard time.

How much is too much? If your child is sleeping well, keeping up in school and is spending quality time with family and friends, then an extra episode or two of their favorite show won’t hurt. But if they’re sleeping less, struggling in school or having more frequent emotional outbursts, it’s time to set some limits. If your older teen is spending more time in their room, withdrawing from in-person interactions and scrolling social media all day and night, it could be a sign of depression. While teens crave independence and privacy, it’s important to monitor their social media use have open-minded conversations about what they’re seeing and feeling.

Plan a digital detox — as a family. Kids take their cues from adults, so if you’re on your phone all day, they will be too. Taking breaks from tech has the added benefit of helping you limit your own media intake and giving you moments of mindfulness with your kids. Develop a family media plan; set limits for yourselves and your kids, delete the most time-consuming apps or implement your device’s screen time limits. Have some alternative activities available, such as crafts, games or playing with a pet. Less time on your phone means more time for family connections.