Technology has become readily available and integrated into almost all aspects of life: work, school, entertainment, communication, and more. While this ease of access to technology makes work more efficient, school work more engaging, and makes keeping up with distant family and friends much easier, too much time spent on devices can be harmful, especially to children.

Time spent on devices like cell phones, tablets, or computers is often referred to as “screen time” — as a parent in modern times, you’ve likely encountered moments of tension with your child when screen time has become excessive, and you may have been left wondering “Is it really worth the struggle of reducing my child’s screen time?”

Research suggests that the amount of time your child spends on digital devices could be of concern, and excessive screen time can have various negative effects on your child — especially when it comes to sleep.

Healthy sleep hygiene in children is crucial to growth, success in school, their ability to focus, how quickly they heal or recover from illness, and more, so taking steps to ensure your child not only gets enough sleep, but quality sleep is important. One major cause disrupting sleep in children is blue light — the light which is emitted from phone screens, computers, tablets, and televisions.

Blue light’s role in your child’s body clock:

Human bodies work on a body clock that responds to the daylight and dark of each day — daylight signals the body to remain awake, while darkness signals the body to sleep. Blue light emitted from devices mimics daylight with high-energy light, so screen time in the evening tricks the brain into believing it should remain awake by suppressing the hormone melatonin.

Without the naturally occurring melatonin, it becomes increasingly difficult for your child’s body to prepare for sleep. Thankfully, there are several ways you can assure your child’s screen time doesn’t negatively affect bedtime.

How to ensure screen time doesn’t affect your child’s sleep cycle:

• Limit Nighttime Use — Devices should be put away at least 30 minutes before your child’s bedtime.
• Limit Your Use— When children see adults constantly glued to their devices, they’ll want to do the same. Set an example by limiting your screen time in front of your children.
• Set Phone-Free Zones — If setting time limits for screen time with your child has been unsuccessful, try creating phone-free zones. For example, set a rule for no tech use at the dinner table, in bed, etc.
• Tech-Free Nights — Try making a commitment as a family to create one tech-free night a week. Instead, devote the evening to making dinner as a family, pulling out a board game, or reading a book.
• Create a Charging Zone— Have all household devices charged at night in a designated spot: the home office, kitchen, or living room, so devices don’t stay in your child’s bedroom at night.
• Spend Enough Time Outdoors— Regular exposure to sunlight helps to keep your sleep cycle regular by influencing the body’s production of melatonin, so be sure your child is spending enough time outdoors.
• Encourage Play Dates— Encourage your child to have regular face-to-face time with friends, and remind them that screens shouldn’t be dividing them during this time.
• Create a Bedtime Routine — On average, it takes 66 days, nearly 2 months, for a child to form a habit that becomes automatic. Help your child create their own bedtime routine that encourages activities that don’t involve screen time.

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The Ten Page Reading Challenge Chart

 Most kids will choose playing games or watching videos over reading if asked, but the benefits of reading for children are massive! Encourage less screen time, and more book time with a reading challenge! Build a chart with your child — setting a goal to read 10 pages a day for a set number of days to win a prize!

 What you’ll need: Paper, Markers/Crayons, Ruler

1. Start by determining how many days your child must read to reach the prize. This number should be determined by age and reading level. For example, Susie will need to read 10 pages a day, for 30 days before she receives her prize.
2. When you’ve determined your number of days, draw that number of boxes on a sheet of paper as a chart. Encourage your child to decorate the page and hang it somewhere they can see it daily.
3. When your child reads 10 pages, have them check off a box. Limit “box checking” to one a day, but encourage your child to read more pages if they desire to.
4. Once your child has checked all of their boxes, celebrate with a prize. Remember, prizes don’t have to be big to have a big impact! Try designating a family pizza and board game night as a prize, or reward your child with a trip to the movies.

Note: If your child isn’t a strong reader and 10 pages feels too daunting, try starting with 5 pages, and working up to a goal of 10 pages a day.

 Want to kick it up a notch?

Add some excitement to your reading challenge by designating silly and interesting ways to read to each box. Brainstorm these ideas with your child to build up the anticipation. For example, you may label boxes with things like: “read under a tree”, “read to a grandparent”, “read while standing on one foot”, “read in a robot voice”, etc.