Screen time is any time a child spends looking at an electronic screen, including watching videos and television shows, playing video games, and interacting with smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Too much screen time can be harmful to children. High technology use has been linked to shorter attention span, aggressive behavior, poor social skills and more. Yet there is no denying that technology has become a large part of parenting these days. How much screen time is too much though?

For many parents. rules for limiting or prohibiting screen time can be hard to enforce. Here are three tips which we have called “the three C’s” to help you decide when screen time is okay:

• Content: What is my child watching or playing with? Can he/she understand what he’s/she’s doing or potentially learn from it?
• Context: What has my child’s day been like so far? Have we talked and interacted a lot, or has he/she been plugged in for hours?
• The individual Child: Is it a difficult time of day during which a little time on his/her own with a screen would be soothing or helpful to my kid?

We hope that thinking about ‘the three C’s’ in the moment when you’re trying to decide whether to let your child play with a tablet or watch a show, helps you make better and more mindful choices.