Screen Time, Social Media & Digital Wellness
Helping Youth Build Healthy Relationships with Technology
Screens are everywhere—but when does healthy use become unhealthy?
Technology helps us learn, connect, and stay informed. But excessive screen use can affect sleep, mental health, school performance, family relationships, and overall well-being. For many Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families, balancing technology use can be especially challenging because of academic pressures, cultural expectations, and stigma around discussing mental health.
This page provides resources, tips, and support for youth, parents, and caregivers.
Resources to Support Healthy Media Habits and Digital Wellness for Young Children
Article: The 5Cs approach to digital media: Empowering families and professionals to foster healthy screen use for young children
THE 5Cs OF MEDIA USE EXPLAINED
The 5Cs guidance was developed to give healthcare and early childhood professionals easy-to-remember, evidence-based, and agebased tips around how to help parents manage media with youth, from infants to teens.
• Child: Who is your unique child and how does their temperament shape their interest in, and response to media?
• Content: What content is worth your child’s time and attention? How does different content shape their behavior?
• Calm: How does your child calm down strong feelings or go to sleep?
• Crowdingout: Media is designed to engage our attention for long periods of time, but what does it get in the way of (play, sleep, outdoors, free time)?
• Communication: How can you teach your child, through co-viewing and conversations, so they build digital literacy?
Handouts are available at www.aap.org/5Cs by developmental stages.
