85 percent of parents are "concerned about how much time their kids are spending online" and it's getting worse with kids in lockdown.

Parents have always struggled with how to set limits on screen time for kids. But as the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. enters its fourth month,streaming services viewing habits and the use of digital video apps continue todramatically change.

According to a recent survey of 3,000 parents conducted by Parents Together, 85 percent of parents are "concerned about how much time their kids are spending online" and more than 50percent feared that their kids would become addicted to "online activity." About 48% of participating parents reported that their kids are online more than six hours a day suggesting a 500 percent increase in usagesince the pandemic began in the U.S. Additionally, the survey revealed that 26 percent of kids spend more than eight hours a day online, up significantly from the reported 4percent in previous months.

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But spendingincreased amounts of time online may have less to do with more free time, and more to do with kids trying to cope with big changes in their lives and in the world. The reality is that kids are facing unprecedented challenges: not seeing friends, limited or no group activities, daily news stories, uncertainty about school openings in the fall, and spending less time on activities that give kids a sense of belonging. These dramatic changes in the life of a child can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, depression, and even physical symptoms like headaches.

That's why more kids are spending more time on streaming channels, video apps, and gaming. The Parents Together survey revealed that kids' preferred digital platforms were, "YouTube (78.21 percent), Netflix (49.64percent), and TikTok (33.41percent)." And when parents are also stressed, they tend torelax rules around screen time.

Even the World Health Organization (WHO)recently recommended playing online video games as a wayto help kids cope with lockdowns-- an idea that is in stark contrast to their 2019 official classification of video game addiction as a mental disorder.

According to Dr. Sarah M. Coyne,a professor of human development in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, research suggests that the ways in which kids interact with screens matter much more than the amount of time they spend on them.

"When children are mentally engaged (e.g., watching a documentary) or physically engaged (e.g., following a yoga video on YouTube or using a touch screen), learning tends to be higher. This does not mean that all screen time needs to be active, but if a parent is worried about how much screen time is used each day, encouraging active screen time may be a way to alleviate some of this worry."

And kids aren't the only ones in households struggling to get a grip on screen time. With the added stress of the pandemic, the uncertain economic landscape, and concerns about balancing school and work expectations, parents are trying to cope, too.

So, what's a family to do during times of social upheaval?Recommendations from Brenda K. Weiderhold, Editor-in-Chief of Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, suggests some common-sense approaches to managing excessive TV watching and other digital and online activities during stressful times.

"Foster respect for devices by setting limits on when and where devices are used and what oversight is required to use specific devices or apps," Weiderhold explains. "One way to do this is to create a schedule or technology agreement for each child. Set time limits and screen breaks directly on kids devices.Talk to children about privacy and tone. For example, not to say or write anything that they wouldnt be okay having shared publicly."

Families everywhere are still in the throes of a global experiment in human behavior during a pandemic. Researchers willcertainly be exploring the effects of these strange timesincludingpossible changes indigital addiction rates, as well as other mental health and behavioral challenges that may emerge.

Being mindful of what and how much content each member of the family is consuming during times of uncertainty and stress can help identify patterns that can be addressed through planning, togetherness, and imagination.

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Pandemic & Screen Time: Is The Lockdown Promoting Screen Addiction? - Moms