Expert Advice on Kids and Screens During COVID Lockdown

Children’s screen time has long been a contentious issue for the modern parent. The situation has become more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic has created a perfect storm for increased screen usage with children out of school for longer periods of time, their inability to visit with friends and the need for parents to work uninterrupted from home,” says Jeff Derevensky, James McGill Professor with the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, is an expert on child and adolescent high-risk behaviours.

Neale McDevitt of The McGill Reporter had a frank Q&A with Faculty of Education and ECP's Dr. Jeff Derevensky to discuss video game addiction, its impact on developing minds, and strategies parents can employ to place reasonable limits on their children’s screen time.