Digital balance in childhood – new expert video series to launch
Bethesda Children’s Hospital and the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) are launching an educational video series titled “Tips for a More Screen-Free Childhood” aimed at families. The professional materials produced in cooperation between the two institutions provide concrete suggestions for digital activities and emphasise the importance of parental role models.
Digital childhood is starting earlier than ever before: the NMHH's recent Digital Parenting survey shows that, on average, young Hungarians receive their first mobile phone at the age of nine. Meanwhile, 9–16 year olds spend an average of 2 hours in front of screens during the week and more than 3.5 hours at weekends, and excessive device use can damage physical health, sleep quality and mental well-being.
Last year, Bethesda Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with 40 national professional organisations—including the NMHH—drafted a professional charter aimed at reducing children’s screen time, providing credible guidance for both parents and professionals. Following the recommendations of the charter, the two institutions are now producing a joint video series summarising key recommendations for children's screen time, providing advice that can be implemented in everyday life to help families achieve a healthy digital balance.
Among other things, the experts in the series set age-related time frames: a maximum of 30 minutes of screen time per day for pre-school children, 60 minutes for primary school children and 90 minutes for secondary school children, with at least the same amount of physical activity to follow. At the same time, social media use is not recommended at all under the age of 14, and children are advised to avoid using digital devices in the last hour before bedtime to preserve sleep quality.
The series of videos highlights the need for awareness-raising rather than mindless content consumption, to prevent problematic device use that can be harmful to mental health. Screening software can provide useful technical support, but consistent parental supervision, a trusting relationship with the child and a credible parental role model are also essential for real safety. After all, adults’ own digital habits are a key determinant of their children’s later patterns.
The primary goal of the recommendations set forth in the professional materials is to ensure that technology supports, rather than dominates, families’ balanced lives.
The educational video series is available on the gyerekaneten.hu website, while the ten points of Bethesda’s charter can be read on the https://www.bethesda.hu/kepernyoido-csokkento-program/ website. Additional tips on reducing children’s screen time can be found at kepernyoidocsokkentes.hu.