If you are a parent, you may have breathed a sigh of relief – or frustration – at the UK government's plans to implement an overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds. The proposal would see apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube made unavailable by default to teenagers, though they can opt out. Features considered addictive, including auto‑play videos and infinite scrolling, would also be disabled under the plans, which aim to improve teenagers' focus, sleep quality and family life.
But while the government wrestles with regulation, many parents are left wondering how to pry those phones away from their children's hands right now. Child psychologist Dr Jane Gilmour warns against simply getting rid of devices. “Changing a habit is always going to be hard,” she says. She recommends implementing changes at a neutral moment, “not in the heat of an argument about screen time. Calm brains communicate best.”
“Parenting experts share five tips for reducing children's screen time amid UK social media curfew plans.”
A practical first step, she suggests, is designating a set place in the home for devices – “one place for chargers… so when the phones go away, they go on the charger and that’s it.”
Older children and teenagers, says child psychologist Dr Maryhan Baker, benefit from being part of the conversation around screen time rather than having rules imposed. Acknowledging peer pressure can help: “I understand that that’s where you connect with your friends. I understand the social pressure if you’re deemed not to be on this. I really get it. So let’s have a conversation about how we can begin to create space within our day, and your day where you’re not on that phone all of the time.”
Parenting coach Olivia Edwards adds that building a strong connection with your child makes it easier to regulate screen use. “We have to have a strong relationship with our child because that is what’s going to get us towards co‑operation [and] teamwork.” That includes taking a genuine interest in the content your child consumes online.
Many parents struggle to keep up with rapidly changing fads and trends on social media, but there is room for both adults and children to learn from each other. Olivia suggests opening a dialogue: “You might say something like: ‘How do you think social media works? How do you think that app works to keep people looking at it? Did you know they make money off the more time people spend on it?’”
With the government’s curfew still on the horizon, these expert strategies offer parents a way to start reining in screen time now – one conversation, and one charger hub, at a time.