Two theories explain the risks
of excessive recreational screen
time: the content theory and the
displacement theory.

The content theory – that
what the children are watching
or doing online is problematic
– has received disproportionate
attention. Most solutions that
caregivers are familiar with,
including co-viewing and being
a media mentor, are designed to
address the content.

The displacement theory, on
the other hand, explains that
time spent online means not
doing other things, and that it’s
the loss of those other activities,
such as outdoor play or reading,
that may result in problems
paying attention or gaining too
much weight.

This also gives caregivers, and
those who work with caregivers,
the opportunity to focus on a
positive goal: increasing time
spent in those activities, which
may lead to less time online and
better childhood health.

Avoidance versus
approach goals
Focusing on a positive goal may
work better than avoidance
goals, such as staying away from
sugary foods or cutting down
on screen time. That’s because
avoidance goals are typically
associated with poor mood and
reduced goal persistence. They
COMING IN
MAY rely on self-control, which can
weaken over time.

As a result, parents and
caregivers typically struggle with
screen avoidance goals and report
a great deal of arguments about
screen limits.

In contrast, approach goals
encourage a desired activity or
outcome and they are associated
with good mood, greater
effectiveness and more goal
persistence. Research on dieting and
obesity demonstrates the
effectiveness of approach over
avoidance goals. For instance,
in one study, families with one
obese parent were assigned to
either an avoidance diet plan
that encouraged them to cut
high-fat and high-sugar foods
or an approach diet plan that
encouraged them to eat more
fruits and vegetables. After a
year, families on the approach
plan had lost more weight. In
the process, they also reduced
their intake of high-fat, high-
sugar foods, which were edged
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Displaced activities



out naturally by the fruits
and vegetables.

Similarly, parents and
caregivers can edge out screen
time by encouraging meaningful
activities that have long been
shown to promote child
development. SPOIL system
SPOIL is an acronym I developed
to easily explain this information
to parents and caregivers. It
stands for Social activities, Play,
Outdoor time, Independent work
and Literacy.

The SPOIL activities can
reverse the effects of recreational
screen time. For example, active
time outdoors can promote sleep,
while excessive recreational
screen time can decrease
sleep quality.

Some elements of the SPOIL
framework, such as social
and literacy-based activities,
encourage caregivers to spend
time with children. Others
like play and independent
work, which includes chores,
encourage children to entertain
or occupy themselves and
regulate their emotions without
the aid of a screen or a parent, as
pediatricians recommend.

caregivers step back or are
otherwise unavailable, allowing
a child to direct their own
attention. It also has an inverse
relationship with screen time.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Outdoor time is associated
with improved sleep, attention,
creative problem-solving and
decreased stress. Multiple
studies have found an inverse
relationship between time spent
outdoors and recreational screen
time in children.

INDEPENDENT WORK
Independent work includes
goal-directed activities, such
as homework and chores,
that require a child to put
aside an immediate interest.

Participation in household
chores has declined dramatically
in recent decades, despite
chores having positive links
with self-esteem, responsibility,
academic achievement and
self-sufficiency. LITERACY
Literacy involves all forms of
reading and writing, including
a child being read to, reading
independently and listening
to audiobooks. Reading is
Here is a more in-depth look at
associated with understanding
what SPOIL involves.

the perspectives of others,
larger vocabulary and academic
achievement. As with many
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
of the SPOIL categories, the
Social activities include time
frequency of reading in the home
spent with parents, friends or
is inversely related to recreational
siblings. In addition to obvious
screen time.

relationship-building benefits,
Replacing excessive screen
social activities allow children to
practice cooperation, competition time with SPOIL activities may
support children’s development
and empathy. Since social
interactions are inversely related during and after the pandemic.

Because positive approach goals
to recreational screen time,
rely less on self-control, they
emphasizing them can decrease
may be more sustainable and
screen time naturally.

successful than avoidance goals.

Additionally, these activities likely
PLAY counteract some negative effects
Free play, especially pretend
play, has been linked to planning, of excessive recreational screen
time, which makes the emphasis
problem-solving and impulse-
on screen limits less necessary in
control skills as well as math
the first place. n
achievement and physical, social
and language development in
children. Free play takes time
This article originally appeared on
to evolve and may occur when
The Conversation.

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