“Just five more minutes” can quickly turn into an hour. For many families, screens are now part of homework, entertainment and even socialising. A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 85% of US parents of children aged 12 or younger said their child watches YouTube, with 51% reporting daily use.
The challenge is not simply taking screens away. Parents need to understand how much screen time is too much for kids, what children are watching, and whether screens are affecting sleep, activity, schoolwork or family time.
