• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • GMA3: WYNTK
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2025 ABC News
  • Family

Momtroversy: These moms give their kids unlimited screen time

2:07
Screen time and kids: New findings parents need to know
ABC News
Genevieve Shaw-Brown
ByGenevieve Shaw Brown
November 07, 2019, 9:18 AM

Screen time: It's the home battlefield between parents and kids. But should it be?

Some parents are saying 'no,' and refuse to set limits on how much time their kids spend on devices.

Franci Haskell is one of those parents. Her two sons, ages 9 and 11, are allowed to use their phones as much as and whenever they like.

She told "Good Morning America" the boys got the phones because they have a long commute to school and back in New York City -- more than an hour each way.

"They play games or talk with their friends," she said of the boys' device usage. "They don't surf the internet or have social media."

The long-term effects of screen time on kids is not yet known. However, a new study from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center published in JAMA Pediatrics showed evidence that brain structure may be altered in kids with more screen use.

Christine Burke of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, also does not limit her kids' screen time.

Related Articles

(MORE: 'X' is a genius hack for parents to keep tweens and teens safe)

"We live in a digital age and they are digital natives," she said. "They don't know any different"

Burke's experimentation with unrestricted screen time began when she read an article by a mom who didn't set screen time limits as long as her kids met some criteria.

So one summer, she decided that once the kids had done an agreed upon amount of reading, creative work and exercise, they could have their devices.

"It worked beautifully," she said.

Related Articles

(More: Here's the story behind the viral illustration every mom is sharing)

Burke told "GMA" she "doesn't see the value" in limiting screen time. She pointed out her kids have learned and pursued their passions online. Her oldest child, now 17, is off to film school. "He learned digital effects and other skills I couldn't teach him," she said.

Still, it's not all educational, Burke said. Her kids spend time on social media, too. In addition to being a writer, Burke is a social media manager. She and her husband have open and ongoing discussions with their kids about proper social media usage.

"We talk about digital citizenship and how to express yourself properly online," she said. "It's very much like teaching manners at the dinner table."

Burke believes that parents who say their kids don't have social media accounts are fooling themselves. "I tell them it's not that their kids don't have it, it's just that they [the parents] don't know it."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents of kids older than 6 "place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health."

Still, the topic of screen time is a hot one in parenting circles and online groups. Haskell said she usually feels judged for her stance on screen time when the topic comes up.

"It's like I'm going to get my head bitten off" when she's open about her kids' screen time usage, she said. "I kind of roll my eyes. Your kid might be left out if they can't talk with their friends."

Burke told "GMA" that kids' social lives exist in the DMs of Instagram. She said her kids are able to regulate themselves and manage their own screen time, something she and her husband wanted them to achieve before heading off to college and living on their own.

"My son will say, 'gosh, I've been texting for hours. I need a break,'" she said.

Related Topics

  • Parenting

Up Next in Family—

Mom welcomes triplets after 10 years of thinking she couldn't have any more kids

July 10, 2025

Moms of 'kidfluencers' defend sharing their lives online

July 9, 2025

Anne Hathaway shares rare glimpse into life at home as mom and wife

July 8, 2025

What to know about Patrick Mahomes' wife Brittany and their kids

July 8, 2025

Shop GMA Favorites

ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Sponsored Content by Taboola

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2025 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2025 ABC News