Lurie Children’s Hospital’s new report finds 49% of Parents Rely on Screens Daily, Often Due to Childcare Challenges
CHICAGO, Ill. — The conversation around children’s screen time has evolved beyond “time limits.” In 2025, parents are navigating a complex digital relationship with screens serving as education tools, entertainment, and even stand-in babysitters during busy moments.
To better understand how families are managing this shifting dynamic, Lurie Children’s Hospital recently surveyed parents across the U.S. with children aged 13 and under about their kids’ screen time habits.
The report found that 49% of parents rely on screen time every day to help manage parenting responsibilities. For many, it’s not just convenience, it’s about necessity:
• 1 in 4 parents say they’ve used screens because they couldn’t afford childcare • 34% have turned to screens when they couldn’t find childcare
Some parents also use screens to help manage behavior as 28% give into screen time to avoid a meltdown or tantrum multiple times a week. Nearly 3 in 4 (71%) have also used screens to help manage their child’s behavior in public, and 29% report to doing this most of the time.
Parents often balance the convenience of screen time with associated guilt. In fact, 3 in 5 (60%) parents feel guilty about their child’s screen time with the top reasons including excessive time spent on screens, using them as babysitters, and sacrificing family time. More than half of parents (55%) believe that screens interfere with quality time, but 28% report that their children use screens during meals.
“Quality time with family helps children thrive,” says Alyssa Cohen, MD, MSc, pediatrician and health services researcher at Lurie Children’s. “We recommend that families designate screen free times of day or areas of the home, such as mealtime, to promote uninterrupted connection.”
More than half (2 in 3) parents would like to reduce their child’s screen time. The majority (81%) of children under 13 now have their own device, according to parents. More than half (59%), began using screens by the age of three.
Those surveyed believe on average 4.5 years-old is a healthy age to start screen time. They believe nine hours per week is ideal, but in reality, kids are clocking in 21 hours, more than double the preferred amount by parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no more than one hour of screen time per day for children 2 to 5 years old.
The most common screen time activities among kids include watching YouTube, playing games, and using educational apps. Due to the widespread use, experts say it’s very important to build healthy habits with digital devices and establish screen time rules for kids.
“It is never too early to start modeling healthy behaviors around digital media for children,” says Dr. Cohen. “As they grow and develop, children’s engagement with digital devices and online content will also change. Parents can support children by setting and enforcing age-appropriate boundaries, using tools like the AAP’s Family Media Plan as a guide.”
There are several concerns parents have when it comes to screens, including addiction. More than half (54%) of parents have felt their child is addicted to screens. Other top concerns include reduced attention spans, disrupted sleep, behavioral issues, lower levels of physical activity, and weakened social skills because of screen time.
“Screen use can become problematic if it replaces other important activities in the lives of kids and families, such as quality sleep, physical activity, emotional regulation and social connection,” adds Dr. Cohen. “A helpful framework that parents can use to think about the positive and negative effects of media use is the 5 C’s, from the AAP.”
Despite these concerns, confidence in whether their child’s screen time is age-appropriate varies: 50% of parents feel very confident, 42% somewhat confident, and 8% are not confident at all.
Article courtesy of Lurie Children’s.
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