Experts Advocate for Screen Time Quality, Not Quantity

By Rebecca Paredes

March 26, 2025

Welcome to Parent Pixels, a parenting newsletter filled with practical advice, news, and resources to support you and your kids in the digital age. This week:

The APA released new guidelines to help parents promote healthier video viewing habits for teens — here are the highlights.
In breaking news, teens are still glued to TikTok at midnight. But TikTok’s Family Pairing just got better, giving you more ways to hit pause on the endless scroll.
Save these tips on how to use your phone to limit social media — or deactivate it entirely (for parents and teens alike).

Digital Parenting

▶️ How to support healthier video viewing habits for teens: If your teen uses YouTube — and they likely do, given that 90% of teens report using the site — you’ll want to check out this free guide from the American Psychological Association (APA), which was developed in partnership with YouTube.

The guide helps parents understand the effects of different types of video content and start conversations with their teens about their video viewing habits, including tips like:

Video quality matters: Rather than focusing solely on screen time limits, also understand what content your teen consumes while they’re online. Are they engaging with content that supports their interests and hobbies, or does it make them feel anxious and bothered?
Maintain open communication: Ask curious, non-judgmental questions about what your teen enjoys watching and why. Work together to develop strategies for evaluating content thoughtfully, including how to tell if AI is influencing their viewing experience.
Navigate influencer content together: Discuss how influencers build their audience and how sponsored content works. Encourage them to think critically about influencer recommendations and lifestyles.
Balance online and offline experiences: If you’re worried about excessive video viewing, include your teen in boundary-setting discussions and help your teen identify fun offline alternatives to watching online videos.

🐤 Heads up: BrightCanary monitors YouTube content and helps you stay informed about what your teen is watching and searching.

🛡️ TikTok expands parental control features: TikTok just handed parents a few more tools to fight the bedtime scrolling battle. The app rolled out new updates to its Family Pairing feature, because apparently “go to sleep” wasn’t cutting it. Parents can now:

Create a schedule to block teens from using TikTok: Parents can use the new Time Away feature to prevent their teen from scrolling, such as during school or at night.
Gain more visibility into followers: Parents can now see who their teen is following on TikTok, and who follows them, along with accounts their teen has blocked.
Encourage their teen to wind down: For teens under 16 who scroll TikTok after 10 p.m., their For You feed will be interrupted with a full-screen takeover that prompts them to relax, be mindful of the time, and consider getting some shut-eye instead of watching another GRWM.

If your teen uses TikTok, we recommend setting up Family Pairing, confirming your teen’s privacy settings are set to your family’s comfort level, and using those screen time limits. Here’s how to set up Family Pairing.

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Tech Talks With Your Child

Did you know that Apple has a full suite of free parental controls? It’s called Apple Screen Time, and it allows you to restrict explicit content, adjust privacy settings, and more on your child’s device. But before you dive into settings, start with a conversation. Here are some ways to talk with your child about why you’re putting parental controls in place — not as a punishment, but as part of your job to help keep them safe online.

“Have you ever seen something online that made you uncomfortable? I want to make sure you don’t have to face that alone.”
“We use helmets when we bike and seat belts in the car. Parental controls are the digital version of that. It’s just part of being safe.”
“If something upsetting ever pops up on your screen, I want you to feel comfortable telling me. These settings are one way I try to prevent that from happening.”
“Some apps are designed to keep you scrolling for hours. These limits help make sure you still have time for other things you love.”
“You’re growing up in a totally different digital world than I did, so I’m learning too. Want to help me figure some of this out together?”

📱 Want help setting up Apple parental controls the right way? Check out All About Apple, an on-demand course from digital parenting expert Sarah Gallagher Trombley (The Digital Mom). It covers everything from what Apple parental controls do to how to use them effectively. Use the code BRIGHTCANARY10 for 10% off!

What’s Catching Our Eye

😮‍💨 Do you want to spend less time on social media? Is your child struggling to step away from Instagram and Snap? Find out how your phone can help you manage your time online, courtesy of the New York Times.

😳 Dark and strange content is slipping through social media’s filters for kids and adults alike, including violent videos, AI oddities, and other unsettling content, as reported by the Washington Post.

🫥 Does social media push vulnerable teens toward eating disorders? After Babel covers the ways in which social media algorithms can fuel body dissatisfaction. For more on this topic, here are tips on how to talk to your child about videos that encourage an unhealthy relationship with food.