Why should parents look in the mirror if they want to tackle tween screen time?

New research shows parents play a big role when it comes to healthy screen use

HOUSTON — Modern parenting means having to navigate a minefield of screens and social media and a lot of parents are concerned their kids are getting too much screen time.

A new study in the journal Pediatric Research tackled this prickly question. The researchers looked at more than 10,000 12- and 13-year-olds in the U.S.,, along with their parents.  They found children who had a higher amount of screen time and reported problematic social media and video game use had something in common -- parents who reported being on screens a lot as well.

The lead author of the study told the Washington Post that parent screen use was one of the biggest predictors of adolescent screen use, noting it was important for adults to practice what they preach. Even with tweens who may be pulling away from parents, the experts recommend having open conversations when we fall short of our own guidelines.

When it comes to those guidelines, the study found two time periods when screen use appeared to be the most harmful -- at mealtime and bedtime.  Tracking and limiting screen use did show results, but what didn’t work was using screens as a punishment or reward. That approach was associated with more screen time overall.