I keep seeing different guidelines about how much screen time kids should get. My 6 year old does about an hour on weekdays mostly educational apps and cartoons. Am I messing him up or is this normal? Feel like I'm being judged by other parents but also I need the break sometimes to get stuff done.
An hour on weekdays sounds reasonable to me, especially if it's educational. My kids spend time on apps too but I make sure they're also hitting the playground after school. Balance is key and it sounds like you've got it.
Hour a day seems fine honestly. We do about the same on weeknights but screen-free weekends help. The fact that you're thinking about this means you're already doing it right.
I think the guidelines say something like one hour a day for kids under 6, but honestly every kid is different. Is your 6 year old doing screen time for educational stuff or is it more just keeping them entertained?
Preschool teacher friends tell me the kids who do an hour or less seem more focused and sleep better. Anything over that and they notice behavioral stuff. That said, some days you just need a break as a parent and that's real too.
All the research seems to say less is better, but the guidelines also acknowledge that some screen time is unavoidable now. I'd say if he's getting outside time, reading, playing, and maybe an hour or so of screen time, you're probably in the okay zone.
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My take is that quality matters way more than quantity. An hour of something educational is different than an hour of random YouTube. I try to keep mine under an hour most days but some days life happens and we just do what we gotta do.