Dr. Vivek Murthy acknowledges the challenges that parents face when it comes to managing new technologies and their significant impact on their children’s health. He believes that the burden of managing these technologies should not solely fall on parents and their children, but rather be shared among all stakeholders.
For parents whose children are already using social media, Dr. Murthy recommends creating tech-free zones in their lives to prioritize sleep, in-person interaction, and physical activity. This can include making meal times tech-free and removing devices an hour before bedtime to protect the quality and quantity of sleep.
Despite these recommendations, Dr. Murthy stresses the importance of parents supporting each other and having open conversations about managing technology use for their children. By working together, parents can alleviate the shame and pressure that often comes with feeling like they are unable to manage technology use on their own.
