Ah screen time, that sweet relief where the kids can just sit for a few minutes and be amused while we, the parents can achieve something. Whether it’s a quick shower, get dressed, or even do a little tidying, putting on the TV or handing over the iPad is a sure way to occupy the little ones.

However, in a new report (that I was kinda hoping my wife hadn’t heard about), we shouldn’t be giving our daughter more than one hour of screen time per day. PER DAY? Oh no!

On the Reuters website, they say, “In its guidelines to member states, the WHO said children between one and four years old should spend at least three hours in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day. Infants under one should interact in floor-based play and avoid all screens, it said. Being inactive is fueling a rise in the numbers of obese or overweight people worldwide, the WHO said. Excessive weight can lead to premature death from heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and some forms of cancer.”

The short time allowed in front of the TV or tablet at a young age is to reduce habit-forming choices, like opting for a videogame over soccer as their main hobby when they have more autonomy over their spare time in later life, for example.

It looks like we’ll be giving our 3-year-old about 30 minutes in the morning so we have time to make breakfast and rub the sleep from our eyes, and 30 minutes as part of her wind-down process, followed by a couple of stories, a song, and kiss goodnight.

How much time do your kids spend watching TV or on their tablets?