Research published in JAMA this month reported that American adolescents, age 13 to 18, spend an average of 70 minutes of their school days on their phones for non-schoolwork activities. The study used an app that tracked how much time students spent on their phones and what platforms they used. Researchers discovered that teens spent most of their phone time during the school day on social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. They also spent an average of nearly 15 minutes of each school day on gaming apps and almost 15 minutes on video apps such as YouTube. Previous research has shown that teens spend more than 8 hours daily on screen-based entertainment, but this was the first study to use tracking (as opposed to self-reporting) to determine students’ usage during school.

If you’re concerned about your teen’s smartphone usage at school, the best thing to do first is open a conversation with them. Focus on learning about their perspective first. You can mention this study and ask if they think the results are true for themselves and/or their peers. Ask a lot of open-ended questions to learn more about their own phone usage, what is typically happening in their classrooms, how different teachers are handling phone usage, and how they feel when they put their phones away for a couple of hours. You can share your own experiences with smartphone use during work hours or other situations.

If you would like to persuade teens to reduce screen time at school, focus on how they would benefit by putting phones down rather than focusing on what you’re taking away. For example, you can explain how phones can hurt their academic performance – distracted students do not do as well in classes – and phones can cause missed opportunities for building friendships – using social media even in the hallways interferes with a student’s chance to connect with others.

Teens must learn skills for handling technology responsibly themselves as they grow older, so it’s important to discuss different options, but to let them choose what makes most sense to them. Teens are much more likely to follow rules if they have been involved in creating them. You can also present rules as a trial – follow them for a week and then have a follow-up conversation about how it worked and what was helpful vs. ineffective.

Finally, role model healthy technology use in your own life. Place your phone in “do not disturb” mode during your workday (or at least silence notifications). Make sure that you’re putting your phone down at home in order to spend time face-to-face with others. Try taking a digital break as a family and doing something fun together, such as a board game or a fun outing. Encourage everyone to talk about how they feel afterwards – what did they like and dislike about the break?

Final Thoughts…

The way parents use their phones is the biggest predictor of adolescent phone use, so pay attention to your own habits and model the behavior you want your child to learn. Use conversations to explore how technology impacts our lives and methods for creating a positive balance, staying focused at school, and fostering overall mental wellness.