Boca Raton Center for Child & Family

“Five more minutes!”
If you hear this every time screen time ends, the problem may not be the request itself. It may be that the ending has become negotiable.

When the limit repeatedly changes, children can learn that the first “time is up” does not really mean time is up.

Try setting the expectation before the device turns on:
Set the stopping point. Give a brief warning. Let the timer signal the end. Follow through calmly. Predictable limits create fewer power struggles.

More parenting strategies at BocaRatonChild.com

AI is becoming part of childhood very quickly.
Children can now outsource writing, problem solving, creativity, and even personal advice to a machine.
That does not mean AI is inherently harmful.

But parents should be asking an important developmental question:
If AI is doing more of the work, what is my child practicing less?
Critical thinking
Independent problem solving
Creativity
Frustration tolerance
Communication
Human connection

The goal is not to keep children away from AI.
It is to make sure AI remains a tool, rather than a replacement for the experiences children need in order to develop.

Don’t just ask what AI can do for your child. Ask what it may be replacing.

Could screen time be affecting your child’s sleep?

Evening screen use can keep children mentally engaged when their body and brain should be preparing to wind down. Devices can also push bedtime later and make the transition to sleep more difficult.

One simple place to start:
Protect the hour before bedtime from highly stimulating screens.
Consider moving devices outside the bedroom and replacing late night screen time with reading, conversation, or a predictable bedtime routine.
Better digital habits can help support better sleep habits.

BocaRatonChild.com

Which streaming platform is best for children?
This month on Dr. Alcalay’s Screen Check, I’m looking at three of the biggest platforms children are watching.

🟢 Disney+ — Green Light
Disney+ generally offers a more curated and predictable environment, with professionally produced children’s content that parents can more easily preview and understand.

🟡 Netflix — Yellow Light
Netflix has many excellent options for children, but its broader library, autoplay, and recommendation system mean parents need to pay closer attention to profiles, maturity settings, and what is being suggested next.

🔴 YouTube Kids — Red Light
This is especially important for younger children watching independently.
The concern is not that everything on YouTube Kids is inappropriate. The concern is the sheer volume of content, rapid recommendations, short videos, gaming clips, influencer style content, and the ability to move from one video to the next almost endlessly.

For younger children, that can make supervision much harder.
My recommendation: the younger the child, the more curated the platform should be.

Dr. Edan M. Alcalay, Psy.D.
Child Psychologist

BocaRatonChild.com

Just because an app is labeled educational does not mean screen time should be unlimited.

Educational media can certainly support learning. But children also need movement, conversation, creativity, hands on exploration, social interaction, and opportunities to solve problems in the physical world.

Rather than asking only, “Is this educational?” ask:
What is this screen replacing?
Technology should support healthy development, not substitute for it.

BocaRatonChild.com