Anneliese King is a content creator who works to help parents feel seen. The mother, who boasts over 409,000 followers on Instagram, recently opened up about giving kids screen time
A mum said she often gives her kids screen time as it enables her to get stuff done.
Anneliese King is a content creator who works to help parents feel seen. The mother, who boasts over 409,000 followers on Instagram, posts about various parenting issues from daily stresses to misconceptions and body image.
She recently opened up about the topic of screen time and admitted, even though some parents don’t allow it, it’s the “only way she gets anything done”. But she said there are ways you can do it without feeling too guilty.
Some apps are better than others to use, so she gave other parents her top tips on where to turn. Not all online content is harmful, and some is actually pretty handy, according to Anneliese.
Writing on Instagram, she said: “If you’re like me, and you feel mom guilt over almost everything but especially screen use, you need to download the app Pok Pok RIGHT now… especially if you let yourself feel guilty for screen time, but also kind of rely on it as that’s the world we live in in 2024.”
Since she shared the post many people have thanked the mum for the advice. Some said they’ve tried the app out, and they admitted the kids “loved it”.
One person said: “Feels. Thanks heaps for the suggestion!!” Another wrote: “Need them to expand to Android compatibility! My daughter would absolutely love this app!”
A third replied: “I also love Kiddopia! Little games and some hand-eye coordination and some learning. My kids have figured out pok pok and the never ending-ness of it.”
Some are avidly against the idea of screen time though, and they made their thoughts very clear. One in particular didn’t hold back.
He replied: “Getting ‘things done’ isn’t that hard without screens, and putting your kid in front of an iPad is giving up on parenting.” One more said: “Screen time gives my kids ADHD symptoms and rage. So yes, there are screen free parents and yes, we get nothing done.”
While letting children spend all day in front of screens is a bad idea, health authorities do agree that it can be helpful if done in moderation. You should also aim to focus on educational content and not mindless scrolling or TV bingeing.
Advice from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that children should have TV free days, or have a two hour limit on screen time.
But it adds: “A limited amount of child-friendly screen time can be educational, but it’s important to ensure the content is appropriate for your child’s age.”
