Does Screen Time Lead to <i>Scream</i> Time?

Toddler tantrums are totally normal…they’re literally wired for them! Their work-in-progress brains are already crackling with primitive impulses: impatience, defiance, and aggression…and then factors like fatigue or hunger can really set their short fuses ablaze. Now brand-new research indicates there’s another big tantrum trigger for little ones: screen time.  

Three-and-a-half-year-olds who spent 75 minutes or more on tablets daily were more apt to have angry outbursts and feelings of frustration a whole year later, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. But the effects didn’t stop there! Researchers went on to find that children prone to outbursts at 4.5 years old tended to increase their screen time in the following year. This suggests a vicious cycle of screen time leading to more frequent anger and frustration…resulting in more screens.

One possible explanation: When little ones are offered a “digital pacifier” when they blow their tops, they may miss crucial opportunities to learn self-regulation skills. In fact, a study in the journal Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found when children aged 2 to 5 were given technology to manage their meltdowns, they become far less capable of regulating their emotions than those who weren’t offered screens.

While it’s true that handing over a tablet can often quickly and easily distract your toddler from their tantrum, its positive effect is short-lived—and potentially harmful in the long run. Those first few years of life—when tantrums typically peak—are critical for developing emotional self-regulation skills. So, regularly offering a digital device to calm a furious tot, may interfere with their emotional-regulation learning, possibly putting them on the road to longer-term anger management struggles.  

For help reducing your toddler's screen time, check out our practical tips for dialing back tablet, TV, and phone use.

And to manage their toddler’s big feelings without relying on screens, focus on connecting with respect (two ways to do this: Use the Fast-Food Rule and speak their native language, Toddler-ese, to address and calm an upset) and stretching your toddler’s patience. And for many more tips on boosting cooperation and reducing tantrums check out The Happiest Toddler on the Block!

By fostering emotional regulation skills—and limiting digital distractions—you can help your toddler develop healthier ways to manage their big feelings and reduce the frequency of tantrums. Win, win!

More Toddler Tips:

• How to Avoid Common Tantrum Triggers
  
• Why Do Toddlers Have So Many Tantrums?
  
• How Small Doses of Attention Can Prevent Tantrums
  
• Stop Toddler Tantrums Before They Start
  
• How to Connect after a Tantrum
  

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.