In conversations about student well-being, screen time is often cited as a source of distraction, anxiety, and isolation. While there’s truth to these concerns, I’ve come to believe the narrative is incomplete.
Screens themselves aren’t the problem. It’s how they’re used, and how schools and families partner to guide that use. When parents and teachers are aligned and communicate effectively, students receive consistent support both at home and at school, creating a foundation for healthy development and learning.
My awareness of the gaps in student support became personal a few years ago, when my son was unfairly disciplined at school. That experience revealed two critical things: 1) children need preventive, personalized care to thrive; and 2) the adults in their lives, parents or caregivers and educators, must work closely together.
Yet what I observed was a fragmented system. Families wanted to collaborate with teachers, and teachers wanted to support parents in promoting their children’s overall wellbeing, but no unified approach to bridge the gap.
Hiring mental health professionals on-site is expensive, and many schools lack the resources to provide consistent support. The youth mental health crisis has left districts scrambling for scalable, effective solutions.
Many schools understandably respond by trying to restrict screen time. But technology is here to stay. The real challenge—and opportunity—lies in teaching students to use screen time for creativity, connection, and confidence.
What healthy screen time looks like
Reframing digital wellness means looking at screen time through the lens of active engagement. It’s about encouraging students to write, create, and share, rather than scroll passively.
Research supports this approach: A 2023 study by the Adobe Foundation and National Alliance on Mental Illness found that more than 60% of young people who engage in creative digital activities report lower stress and greater confidence.
For districts, the question becomes: How can we foster environments where students’ time online builds resilience instead of eroding it?
Healthy screen time is purposeful, creative, and connected. It might mean journaling, drawing, songwriting, sculpting or collaborating on storytelling projects.
It might also mean simply reframing everyday activities. For example, when my son plays a baseball game, I’ll ask him about his choices in the game: “Are you pitching here? What kind of bat are you using?” The idea is to turn screen time into a moment of connection.
Encouraging self-expression empowers students, allowing their digital experiences to spark conversation and confidence rather than isolation. Parents can support this at home, and educators can reinforce it by integrating digital creative expression into SEL or literacy work.
Design, don’t deny
Many districts treat screens as something to restrict, but banning them outright misses the chance to teach students balance and intentional use. Schools can instead adopt a “design, don’t deny” approach to guide them in creating digital experiences that model creativity, self-expression, and connection.
I imagine structured opportunities for students to create, reflect and share with their peers online, highlighting acts of respect and kindness, discussing what their favorite moments are during the week or specific activities, and encouraging their self-expression.
Framed within SEL or MTSS, these practices enhance self-awareness, build healthier digital habits, and give teachers and parents real-time insights into what students are truly thinking, strengthening the partnership between schools and families.
The district’s role is not just to regulate, but to set the tone. By adopting tools and practices that encourage healthy digital engagement, schools can give parents and educators a common language for supporting student well-being.
Building a holistic support system
Technology should not replace human connection—it should enhance it. The most promising solutions are those that make collaboration between parents and educators easier while offering students safe, preventive support every day. This means choosing tools that:
- Engage students creatively rather than focusing solely on productivity;
- Give teachers actionable insights into student well-being without adding to their workload;
- Keep parents connected to their child’s digital habits in a constructive, non-punitive way; and
- Integrates seamlessly into existing frameworks like SEL, MTSS, or whole-child approaches.
When the right tools are in place, they become bridges linking home and school, so support is consistent and holistic.
A call to district leaders
The conversation about screen time in schools needs to shift. Instead of asking, “How much is too much?” parents and educators should be asking what kind of screen time helps children thrive.
District leaders play a pivotal role in reframing this narrative. By equipping teachers and parents with technology that fosters creativity, connection, and emotional expression, schools can transform digital time from a source of concern into a source of strength.
Screens aren’t going away. The question is whether to continue treating it as a threat or to embrace the potential to unify home and school around the shared goal of raising emotionally healthy, resilient students.
