[Skip to Content]
  • MILESTONES NEWSLETTER

    Subscribe for trustworthy health information delivered directly to your inbox

    Sign Up

Teens spend a lot of time on screens — and not all of it is a problem. They can connect with friends, explore interests, learn new things, and have fun. On the other hand, media can get in the way of things like exercise, in-person time with family and friends, and homework.

The goal isn't to get rid of screens entirely. It's to help teens use media in healthy ways and stay involved in what they're doing online.

How Much Screen Time Is OK?

There's no single screen-time limit that's right for every teen. A reasonable starting point is 1–2 hours a day of entertainment media use. This doesn’t include screen time for homework, learning activities, or creative projects.

What matters most is whether screens are interfering with your teen’s well-being.

Ask yourself if your teen is:

  • getting enough sleep
  • staying physically active
  • keeping up with schoolwork
  • doing hobbies or other non-screen activities
  • spending time with friends and family in person

If media use is getting in the way of those things, or if your teen has trouble stepping away from devices, it's time to make some changes.

Why Teens Are Drawn to Screens

Most social media apps, video platforms, and games are designed to keep people engaged as long as possible. Features like endless scrolling, autoplay, notifications, game streaks, and appealing ads make people want to stay on their devices.

Recommendation systems, often called algorithms (AL-guh-ri-thumz), also draw people in. They track what people watch and click on, then suggest similar content. Sometimes that's harmless. But algorithms can also keep showing things that aren’t healthy. For example, if your teen watches one video about dieting, more extreme content about food, weight, or body image might start showing up. The same can happen with media about self-harm, anxiety, and risky behaviors.

What you can do:

  • Explain how algorithms work and why certain content might appear in feeds.
  • Show how to reset the algorithm if harmful content keeps appearing. Search the name of the platform plus “algorithm reset” to find the steps.
  • Point out ads and sponsored content. Many posts, articles, and videos don’t look like ads, so it can be hard to tell when someone is selling something.

Help Your Teen Use Media Wisely

Encourage Offline Activities

Give your teen chances to spend time with friends, take part in clubs and after-school activities, enjoy hobbies, and be physically active every day.

Protect Sleep

Using devices before bed can make it harder to sleep. The light from screens and the content kids see can keep their brains awake.

To help kids get a good night’s rest, try to:

  • Shut off devices at least an hour before bedtime.
  • Keep devices out of your child’s bedroom at night and put them in your bedroom overnight to charge.

Sometimes kids still manage to have a device in their bedroom. If this happens, encourage using “do not disturb” settings overnight to prevent notification sounds from waking them up. If your teen watches videos to fall asleep, suggest using a meditation app, quiet music, or a sound machine instead.

Stay Involved

Be curious about your teen's online life. You can ask questions like, “What are you watching?”, “Who do you follow?”, and “Have you seen anything funny online lately?” You don't need to monitor every message or click, but knowing what platforms your teen uses and checking in regularly can make it easier to talk about any problems when they come up.

Before agreeing to a new app, game, or streaming service, take some time to learn about it.

Talk About Online Safety

Go over how important it is to protect personal information online, like names, addresses, phone numbers, school information, and location.

Talk about cyberbullying and how to respond if someone’s unkind. It’s also a good idea to have a chat about sexting. Explain to your teen that content that seems temporary can be saved, screenshotted, and shared.

Set a Good Example

Kids notice how adults use technology. Try to model the habits you'd like your teen to develop by putting devices away during meals, conversations, and other family activities. It also helps to turn off the TV and other devices when no one is using them.

Do a Mental Health Check-In

It's normal for teens to want privacy and independence online. But some patterns may suggest that screen use is affecting their mental health, such as:

  • feeling anxious or upset when they can't use their phone
  • withdrawing from friends, family, or activities they used to enjoy
  • sleeping poorly because of late-night scrolling
  • having mood changes, mainly after being on social media
  • watching content related to eating disorders, self-harm, or suicide

If you notice these signs, talk with your teen and your doctor. Sometimes screen use that causes distress is linked to conditions like depression, anxiety, or ADHD, which are treatable.

Kids ages 11–14 may be especially sensitive to the negative effects of social media and other digital media. Staying extra involved during these years can make a big difference.

What Else Should I Know?

These online resources can also help:

  • The Family Media Plan tool from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) can help you set screen guidelines for your household.
  • Common Sense Media has reviews, media ratings, and age guidance for different kinds of content.
Date reviewed: October 2026