How parents can set healthier screen time limits for kids
April 1, 2026
In my four years as a therapist at Clarity Child Guidance Center, "daily screen time" is often the topic children most wish their parents would avoid. A common argument I hear from my patients - whether they are 8 or 16 - is: "This is not your generation; you don't understand what it's like now." To some degree, kids are right. The way children engage with screens is fundamentally different from even a decade ago. What was once considered an occasional tool has become an integral part of how children learn, socialize and unwind.
For children, conversations about overuse of screen time can quickly trigger feelings of powerlessness, frustration and judgement. This frustration often shows up as anger, particularly when children perceive a double standard. Kids notice adults setting limits on their screen use while remaining highly engaged with their own devices. By this point, many caregivers have already attempted setting limits, removing devices and negotiating - only to find themselves stuck in the same unhelpful cycles. What once felt like a helpful tool can quickly become a source of disconnection, tension and self-doubt.
