Summer can make screen limits harder to hold, but it's also a perfect time to reclaim imagination, connection and play. In this episode, pediatrician Dr. Sandy Reed shares her expert insight on how screen time affects child development, how to set boundaries that work for your family and why boredom might be the best thing for your child's brain. With more than 27 years of experience (and generations of patients), Dr. Reed brings clarity, compassion and realistic advice for today's parents. 

Key Moments: 

• Avoid the Summer Screen Time Slide – 1:16
• Make a Family Media Plan – 2:20
• What Too Much Screen Time Actually Does to Kids – 3:22
• Passive vs. Active Screen Time – 5:16
• No-Excuses Screen Time Rules – 7:48
• Easy, Creative Alternatives to Screens – 11:31
• Parents Screen Habits Matter, Too – 14:02 

American Academy of Pediatrics Media Plan Builder: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/fmp/Pages/MediaPlan.aspx  

Read more from Dr. Reed on our blog: https://health.fmolhs.org/body/childrens-health/managing-screen-time-expert-tips-for-parents/ 

Download our screentime tip sheet: https://health.fmolhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ParentingUS5E8_ScreenTimePlanDownload.pdf 

Learn more about Dr. Reed: https://doctors.ololchildrens.org/provider/sandy-shows-reed/1297722