Back-to-school screen time reset: Experts say start easing kids into a new routine
While summer winds down and school routines return, children across Maryland are facing an adjustment that can be difficult for families, trading hours of screen time on electronic devices for structure.
Experts say parents do not have to wait until the night before school starts to make the change. Instead, they recommend gradually resetting screen-time habits now, so children have more time to adjust.
"It is so important to start the conversation," said Dr. Sarah Edwards, a child and adolescent physician at the University of Maryland Golisano Children's Hospital.
Edwards recommends talking with children about the change weeks before school begins rather than suddenly taking devices away.
"So rather than the night before saying 'alright, we're back to no devices' we want to be planning it and thinking about it and talking about it a few weeks in advance," Edwards said.
Cutting down screen time for kids
The goal does not have to be the elimination of technology altogether. Instead, families can begin establishing the routines children will follow once school is back in session.
"I think it's not about saying no to technology. It's never an all-or-none kind of situation, but thinking about ways in which we can increase more of a school schedule," Edwards said.
That could mean establishing screen-free periods around meals, bedtime, or after school, and practicing those rules before the first day.
Parents can be an influence
Research indicates that parents can make a difference.
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that parent-focused interventions reduced young children's screen time by an average of 38 minutes per day. The screen-time analysis included six studies involving 1,106 children.
The findings suggest that changes parents make at home can have a meaningful impact on children's screen habits.
Edwards also said parents need to be willing to follow the same rules they set for their children.
"Some of the things that we recommend for families would be being a role model so it's easy to tell your kids what you want to see, but they need to see you doing the same thing. So, if you say, 'Please put your phone away, but you have your phone out, it's not going to be quite as effective," Edwards said.
That could mean parents putting their own phones away during meals, before bed, or during other planned family time.
Maryland schools restricting cell phone use
The transition back to school also comes as Maryland schools prepare for new restrictions on student cellphone use.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell said schools are preparing to talk with families about the new law, which limits students' use of cellphones and Wi-Fi-enabled watches during the school day.
Local school boards must adopt policies to implement the requirements beginning next school year.
Bedell said schools will work with their communities to prepare students and families for the changes.
Just as parents may encounter resistance at home, educators expect some students to push back against new limits.
"You might naturally see a little bit of an increase in temper tantrums and some pushback, but that's OK, because as you encourage and they get used to the new schedule, that should fade," Edwards said.
Experts say back-to-school transitions can be difficult for children and parents alike.
Starting the conversation, gradually reducing screen time and practicing the new routine before school begins can help make the adjustment less abrupt and may make that first week back a little easier for the entire family.
