Another tip is to treat children as conversational partners even when they’re babies, Danielle Matthews, a professor of psychology at University of Sheffield, told the BBC. It is a way of getting that valuable interaction with your child without having to make new time.
Whether it is going on a bus trip or just hanging out the washing, talk to them about what you are doing together, she explained.
“Studies suggest it helps to slow the pace down to allow little children to take their turn in the conversation. Responding to them with language that is tuned in to their interests can really help them to learn to talk.”
Welcoming the guidance, she said: “Parents have got a lot going on and they just want some help with their everyday life and some information that is evidence-based and helpful”.
Parents should be realistic and use their own judgement when deciding on what kind of screen time their children have, but watching together and discussing is clearly better than solo watching, Matthews adds.
Many smartphones, including Apple and Android models, have a suite of tools that may help with reducing screen time – including timers and pin codes to limit the use of certain apps. App and website activity can also be tracked on devices.