This week, Pew Research Center released a study examining how parents regulate screen time for their children aged 12 and under. The findings were relatively predictable. A notable 90% of parents reported that their children watch TV, while 61% indicated their kids occasionally use smartphones. Surprisingly, only half mentioned allowing their children to use game consoles. Although 42% of parents admitted they could improve in managing their kids’ screen time, 86% confirmed they have established rules for screen usage, even if these guidelines are not always strictly followed.

The study provides some insights, but one thing it lacks is specific details about these screen time rules. Knowing that a percentage of parents allow their children to watch TV doesn’t illuminate how long they watch, what content they view, or the measures parents take to prevent exposure to inappropriate material.

In my house, we’ve adopted a system inspired by Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism. My eight-year-old starts each week with 10 tokens, equivalent to $5 or five hours of screen time. They can earn more time or money by reading books. They have the freedom to choose how they spend this screen time, be it on Minecraft or streaming services like Disney+, Netflix, or Paramount+. They also enjoy a few music and gaming apps on their iPad, though unrestricted access is not permitted.

Despite a structured approach to screen time, my younger child enjoys an hour of predominantly educational TV daily, which provides a quiet period for us to assist the eldest with homework. On Saturdays, we have a family movie night where we take turns choosing the film to watch.

It also turns out that how much time kids spend in front of a screen isn’t the biggest concern. Time limits were common, but not universal.

A primary concern among parents is the nature of their children’s screen activities. Social media raises particular worry, with 80% of the survey participants believing it poses more risks than benefits. Astonishingly, 15% noted that their kids use TikTok, whereas usage of platforms like Instagram and Facebook was far less, at only 5%. Meanwhile, 74% watched YouTube alongside their children, though 15% stated that their kids did not watch YouTube at all.

When it comes to managing screen time, simply taking away devices or turning them off remains the most common method. Additionally, some parents use features like Apple’s Screen Time to regulate iPad usage specifically.

Phones weren’t common with younger kids. The Pew survey found that only 29 percent of parents allowed their 8 to 10 year-old to have their own smartphone. But, once kids hit their teens, they become more common.

Remember, there’s no right answer for how to raise your kids. What works for one parent, might not for another. We’re all just doing the best we can. Or at 58 percent of us think we are, according to Pew.