How much screen time is too much?

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My six year old absolutely loves "screen time" which includes online gaming, Nintendo, Leapster and TV. My husband feels that screen time gives him a much needed break from humanity, but I see a marked increase in his stress-induced behaviors with more than 30-60 minutes of screen time during a day.

What do other parents do to give their kids that break? How much screen time can your child tolerate without his stress levels shooting up?

I'm trying to figure this out too.

Video games are his main obssession right now, so sometimes I do limit how much I will listen to him talking about it (otherwise I would get absolutely nothing done). I'm not really sure how much I should let him play. He probably plays way too much right now. He always seems to have his DS (even if he isn't playing it) with him when he is home.

Well...coming from a child aspie themself.

Video games are great. No social interaction required, and if you do play a multi-player game, it's easier over the internet than in real life.

Not to mention that since we're physiclly clumsy, we're not going to enjoy sports, etc, and we don't like social situations soooo...what else are we meant to do other than use technology?

"Screen time" is something my son really enjoys (he's 10) but from the start we let him know that he wouldn't get to play it for 4 hours straight. We always incorporate what we call "eyeball breaks" into his gaming (have you seen your kids eyes after they've played a video game for a long period of time? Scary!) This is not negotiable. His eye doctor suggested it too - he wears glasses and when he heard it from an authority I think it carried more weight - so I let him play about an hour -sometimes a little more - then make him take a 10 min. break.

It seems to alleviate the problem of a near hysterical, hyper, angry kid who has played too long. He can get very competitive and unreasonable (has improved a lot as he ages though) when playing like nothing else matters in the world except getting Mario to the next level!

I have stopped trying to please others by limiting there time, but instead do encourage them to do things, like educational, make small movies, older son tech person for my web site now only 14.

I did also read some think once (sorry can not quote, can not remember where) anyway article said technology minded children are much faster than those who are not allowed on computers...

Anyway where we live in NZ inapparently the average educational boys level is behind due to them doing do to many sporting activities and we need a few tech minded children afterall it is the technology age.

As a parent what ever you do someone will think its wrong, so I try and take my children's needs into account first and see what makes them happy, not everyone elses...

Saying that I do realize that other outlets are important, we all need some sort of balance, but what works for one - may not for someone else - and after all your (usually) the best judge of your own child. I do have an agreed amount of exercise which I feel is important also, healthy mind, healthy body - good old common sense....

Its just sometimes I feel we spend far to much time worry about what everyone else says and who's best interest is it really in!

Last edited by asplanet on 19 Dec 2007, 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think kids under 7-8 need physical breaks from the computer and/or tv screen. My son got his Nintendo DS at 5 and that screen doesn't really overwhelm him. The Game Cube motion and the computer monitor can overwhelm his brain and it sneaks up on him.
Kind of like an allergy. All of a sudden he's out of control and nonsensical.
He got the Game Cube at 7 (he's turning 8 next week) and he gives himself breaks. He's able to either get bored or interested in something else so he'll go from one activity to the next. He's no longer "sitting at something" for hours.
We also give him video game related reading material. I have read that people need to "exercise" their eye muscles with printed material. I don't know if it's true but I wouldn't want to find out.
Personally, I have had depressive spells where I'd sit in front of the computer screen for hours (literally) and it would mesmerize me, in a bad way. It wasn't good for sleeping, talking or thinking straight.

I went to a conference on Aspergers run by an amazing guy with Aspergers and this very worried mother got up to ask a question. The issue was trying to get her aspie kid out doing "normal" kid stuff like playing outside - which she said he didn't like to do. She asked "how can I get my kid off the computer and get some fresh air?" This guy answered "Put the computer by a window and have him open the window every once in awhile"

Everyone laughed but he was truly serious in his answer. He was saying that you can't make your kid do anything - (esp. make them be a sports kid) - they are who they are.

I do think you can try to give them a good balance of computer time and some exercise -just taking a 20 min. walk - -It actually helps my son sleep much better if he's done something physical during the day.

I have bad RSI from too much screen time.

60 minutes a day isn't too bad - especially when it includes TV and Videogames.

Some PC type learning games are good too.

Perhaps introduce breaks etc...

Don't worry about it, but schedule in something where he has to be outside a bit...

Joey Scouts would be good - at least he's going to do something once per week.
Also - swimming lessons could be a good one too.

I'm not sure what the borderline is, but if the default font is burned into your face it's time for a snack break.

This made me laugh out loud. Seriously, though, I'm not afraid that I will be criticized for my parenting, because that happens no matter what I do.

My concern is finding the balance between what he loves and keeping him comfortable. He tends to act like he's been overstimulated and stressed when he's had too much, and he takes less interest in the world around him.

When he has little or no screen time, he likes to play outside, play with toys, and interact with the family. The more screen time he gets, the less interested he is in anything else, and the more he stims (which I interpret as feeling stressed).

This is precisely our issue, as well. We're trying to find a "happy medium," but it's difficult. And he sees his dad gaming quite a bit, so...yeah.

Be wary of video games. When I was little they would make me have tantrums. Whenever I died or couldn't do something... For a while, my "screen time" was limited to 80 minutes, but that died out somewhere.
For a while I was really addicted to the computer. These days, I'm only somewhat addicted to the computer. I'd say limiting it may be a good idea, but as long as the child does other activities, it should be fine. I spent my middle school days on this computer, however, I was active in scouting, in martial arts, and music.

You mean you're supposed to be able to grow out of that????

I'm a serious game player (I've had computers since I was 8, and could program them and repair them from that age too), who's thinking of doing a degree in computer game development. I can be sat in front of a screen for over 12 hours some days, and my eyesight is perfect. Spending most of my life reading and sat close to a screen means my eyes have adapted to seeing things close up, and I can make use of that when making or fixing other things with my hands. I may need glasses if I ever learn to drive, as my distance viewing is very slightly blurred, but for the majority of things I can see fine.

If children are getting distressed because a game is too difficult then it probably isn't suitable for someone of their age. Very young children do not have big enough hands or sufficient fine motor skills to operate an xbox or playstation controller properly, as these systems and their games are marketed towards people who are in their 20s. Nintendos are marketed towards younger players, and have more suitable controllers and games.

Many games though are simply badly written (released just to make money) and are infuriating to play for players of any age. Some of the worst are movie tie ins, because they are rushed to market before they can be properly play-tested, and because of this there are many parts of the game that are difficult to complete. It's worth checking online for reviews of games from several sources.

Consoles are not the best kind of system for an aspie. They are a 'read only' system. You play games and that's it, get obsessed with them and you'll never do anything productive. Much better to get them their own PC, and let them upgrade it and learn to use it properly, then they'll have a skill that can be put to use. Even the games have more to them, as with most you can add your own content in what is called modding. Some of the best modders even end up being employed to help develop the next game by the company whose game they modded.


For the most part I hated scouts. It was just another place to be bullied besides school, and half the time all anyone ever did there was play ****** football.

polarity said

Consoles are not the best kind of system for an aspie. They are a 'read only' system. You play games and that's it, get obsessed with them and you'll never do anything productive. Much better to get them their own PC, and let them upgrade it and learn to use it properly, then they'll have a skill that can be put to use.

I totally agree - you can't learn to program on a console.


I can be sat in front of a screen for over 12 hours some days, and my eyesight is perfect.

You're young. My eyesight is pretty good too but I have bad RSI in my hands now.

I'm 30 next year, and everyone else in my family, including my younger brother and sister, and nearly all of my cousins, wears glasses to read (they don't read as much or use computers as much).

I've had bad RSI before, mostly from hours gaming with fingers held over WASD keys, or on a mouse on something below the height of my elbow, so my wrist was bent, a good rest to change the angle my wrist is at solved that problem, along with getting a desk and chair that fit me.