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Help your child build a healthy relationship with technology not by banning screens, but by teaching balance, awareness and conscious use.
Today’s children are growing up in a digital world, surrounded by screens, smart devices and artificial intelligence-based applications. Parents often don’t even have time to buy their child a phone before they are already sending their friends a video tour of the apartment or sharing family photos. Technology allows them to learn, explore, create and stay connected, but only if they learn to use it consciously.
Digital hygiene for children: How to develop healthy screen habits and a conscious attitude towards technology in 2026
Today’s children are growing up in a digital world, surrounded by screens, smart devices and artificial intelligence-based applications. Technology allows them to learn, explore, create and stay connected, but only if they learn to use it consciously. Developing strong digital hygiene from an early age helps children stay balanced, safe and in control of their online lives. Child psychologist Yarmila Tomkova explains how parents can foster healthy digital habits that support both mental well-being and family harmony.
Key takeaways from this article:
- Digital hygiene means awareness. It’s about teaching children to use technology purposefully, not passively, so they can control what they consume and share.
- Boundaries should be set early. Before children get their own devices, parents should build trust and explain what responsible online behaviour looks like.
- Examples matter. Parents’ own digital habits have a significant impact on how children relate to screens, social media and online communication.
- Balance is the real goal. Healthy screen habits include active breaks, offline activities and quality conversations about what children see online.
- Digital detox is not a punishment. It works best when children understand why they are doing it and feel supported rather than restricted.
When should children start using smart devices?
Child psychologist Yarmila Tomkova explains that this readiness largely depends on cognitive maturity. “Around the age of 11, a child’s thinking shifts from concrete to more abstract. Until then, children are very susceptible to the influence of the people and things around them, which can pose a real danger in the world of technology. But when they become able to distinguish between the concrete and the abstract, they can better understand the online world and engage with it in a more rational and useful way.”
Until they reach this stage, children should only use smart devices under adult supervision and for short, focused activities. Data from the Common Sense 2025 census shows that digital habits begin to form as early as age two, so conversations about online safety and boundaries should begin long before children get their own devices. Even when children seem ready, they still need guidance.
‘Children need to know what to expect before they enter the online world. They need to know how to be safe online and how to avoid unpleasant situations. Above all, they need to know that if they encounter something that makes them feel bad, they can always turn to their parents for advice,’ explains the psychologist.
Set an example
Parents are the first and most influential technological role models for their children. Studies show that children copy not only what adults say about screens, but also what they do. A 2023 study by Frontiers in Psychology found that every additional hour parents spend on personal screen time is associated with slightly lower developmental outcomes for their children.
As Yarmila Tomkova reminds us,
“Parents are actually trendsetters for young children — and they need to be aware of that. They influence their children by how they use technology, and they also have the power to establish healthy habits. How they establish them and where they draw the line is up to them. But they need to be aware of their role and create a sensible system that their family can follow.”
Setting an example goes beyond screen time limits. Simple actions – keeping phones away during meals, explaining why you turn off notifications, or setting aside time for offline activities – show children what mindful use looks like. When parents are purposeful about technology, children learn that being online can be part of a healthy, balanced life, rather than something that controls it.
WHO findings on adolescents’ digital habits
A 2024 WHO study of 280,000 adolescents in 44 countries shows how social media affects young people’s well-being.
- Problematic social media use has risen sharply: from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022.
- Girls (13%) were more affected than boys (9%).
- More than one in three adolescents (36%) are in constant online contact with friends: 44% among 15-year-old girls.
- Active social media users report less sleep, later bedtimes and lower well-being than moderate users.
Teach children that freedom comes from balance
Children should see technology not as a trap, but as a tool they control. As Yarmila Tomkova says,
“Smart use of digital media can be compared to healthy eating. We need food to survive, and we eat different things, including both sweets and nutritious food. But we can’t eat non-stop; we can’t eat only sweets all day, and we can’t eat right before bed. At the same time, when we teach children to eat healthily, we explain everything to them, and we don’t put them on a strict diet that only makes them unhappy. This only leads to secret snacking or overeating, among other things,”
explains Yarmila Tomkova. Too many rules can backfire, just as strict diets lead to secret snacking.
Recent studies confirm her view that balance works better than restriction.
A 2024 review by the American Academy of Paediatrics found that reducing, rather than completely eliminating, screen time and social media use most reliably improves well-being. The message to parents is simple: teach your children that they are not missing out on anything when they put their phones away.
Instead, they gain time for creativity, relaxation, and real connection — a freedom that no app can offer.
Think about time
It’s not just when children start using technology that matters, but how much and when. There is no one-size-fits-all rule for every family, but experts agree that the youngest children need the most structure. For children under three, screen time should be limited to short, purposeful moments, no longer than 50 minutes a day, such as video calls with relatives. As they grow older, the rules can be adapted to their age and maturity.
Americans now spend an average of 5 hours and 16 minutes a day on their phones. For Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, that’s nearly 6.5 hours every day. For children, this can easily become a mindless habit, something they do automatically just to fill time. Parents can help by talking openly about technology and how it fits into everyday life. Honest, ongoing conversations build trust and help children become more aware of why they go online, not just how often. This awareness is the first step toward self-control and balance.
As Tomkova adds, using technology right before bedtime can make it harder for children to fall asleep. The same goes for checking phones right after waking up: ‘The brain needs some time to wake up and prepare for the day ahead.’ Establishing a clear rhythm around technology use gives children something vital: balance and awareness.
Balance online and offline life
The more time children spend in front of screens, the less they move. And physical activity remains one of the best buffers against digital overload. Online content, especially short videos and fast-paced games, fills the brain with constant stimuli, keeping it in a state of alertness.
As Yarmila Tomkova explains, ‘We cannot expect children to play an online game for an hour and then immediately go and do their homework. After such a digital journey, they need time for neurological recovery, for example, by walking, running or playing in the garden.’
A 2024 study published by Sage Journals confirms this, observing that children who engage in regular outdoor play demonstrate better emotional well-being, fewer behavioural problems and improved mental resilience, while high screen use correlates with issues such as sleep disturbances and attention difficulties. Encouraging offline activities — playing outside, sports, crafts, or meeting friends in person — gives children space to decompress and recharge.
Encouraging offline hobbies such as sports, crafts, time outdoors, or simply meeting friends in person helps children relieve tension and restore their attention. As Tomkova points out, ‘since all this excitement is happening only in the brain while the body remains still, children need to balance their online time with offline activities.’
If you’re trying a digital detox, do it right
A short break from screens can help both children and adults reset their habits, but only when done for the right reasons. Yarmila Tomkova warns that detoxing should be done after establishing healthy digital habits, not as a punishment. ‘Digital detox should only be an option when a child already has balanced digital hygiene. Otherwise, it can do more harm than good.’
Recent data summarised by the American Academy of Paediatrics suggests that reducing time on social media and smartphones is more consistently associated with better well-being than complete abstinence, although the overall evidence remains limited and the effects depend on age, gender and context.
Tomkova suggests giving detox a clear goal: ‘We can make a bet with our children to see who can go the longest without technology. Or we can create a challenge to monitor our digital cravings together. If detox doesn’t have a clear goal, children will perceive it as a meaningless restriction.’
As Tomkova concludes, ‘Digital detox can be an interesting experience, but it’s always better to stick to consistent and healthy digital hygiene first.’ The goal is not to disconnect, but to learn to pause, reflect, and return online with greater awareness.
Healthy digital habits start with balance, awareness and parental example
Healthy digital hygiene for children is not about banning screens, but about teaching balance, awareness and mindful use. Children need to learn to control technology, not be controlled by it. This starts early, with trust, open conversations, and parents setting the right example through their own habits. Mindful screen use combined with regular offline activities helps children develop concentration, creativity, and emotional balance. Instead of strict bans or digital detoxes, families should strive for sustainable habits that encourage self-awareness and moderation. The goal is simple: to help children see technology as a useful tool that supports their well-being, rather than defining it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is digital hygiene and why is it important? Digital hygiene means being aware and intentional about how we use technology. It’s not about avoiding screens, but about understanding what we do online, why we do it, and how it affects us. Good digital hygiene helps both children and adults stay mentally balanced, safe, and in control of their online lives.
- How early should we start teaching children about online safety? The first conversations about online behaviour should start long before children get their first device, ideally around the age of two or three, when they start watching videos or making video calls to relatives. Early awareness lays the foundation for responsible use later on.
- How do online habits affect children’s mental health? Research shows that heavy use of social media and screens can disrupt sleep, increase anxiety, lead to attention deficits and reduce overall well-being, especially among teenagers. Balanced habits, outdoor activities, and open communication significantly reduce these risks.
- What role do parents play in shaping digital habits? A crucial one. Children imitate what they see. If parents scroll through the news at the dinner table or respond to messages during family time, children learn that this is normal. Setting boundaries and sticking to them is the most powerful lesson parents can teach.
- What is the best way to encourage a balance between online and offline life? Model it yourself. Read a book instead of scrolling through your feed, take walks without your phone, and set aside time for creative or physical play. When children see that offline life can be just as fun and fulfilling, balance ceases to feel like a rule and becomes a way of life.
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