I was scrolling Instagram the other day and another parenting influencer was shaming parents for giving their kids access to screens. They pointed to studies and research proving why this is bad. They’re not wrong. If you’re a parent, you’ve heard a version of the same advice dozens of times: Limit screen time. Easier said than done.

Whether it’s a video that buys you enough time to make dinner, an educational app during a long car ride, or a movie that helps everyone survive a rainy Saturday, screens have become part of modern family life. And while parents often worry they’re somehow “ruining” their kids every time they hand over a tablet, experts say the reality is much more nuanced than that.

In fact, two new pieces of research are helping paint a more complete picture. One suggests there may be certain ages when excessive screen time has a stronger association with later learning and memory than others, while another argues that blanket rules about screen time don’t tell the whole story. Taken together, the message isn’t that parents should feel guilty. It’s that how, when, and why kids use screens may matter just as much as how long.

Two Ages Stood Out

As reported by SciTechDaily and detailed in a news release, researchers analyzed data from 502 children participating in Singapore’s long-running Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study. The findings were later published in the World Journal of Pediatrics. Researchers tracked children’s screen viewing from ages 1 to 8 and later measured academic achievement at age 9 and working memory halfway during age 10.

What surprised researchers wasn’t simply that more screen time was linked to poorer outcomes later on—it was when those links appeared.

Children who had higher screen exposure around age 1 and again around age 6 tended to have weaker working memory and lower academic performance years later. Screen time at ages 2 and 3, however, wasn’t significantly associated with those later measures.

According to the study’s authors, infancy may represent a particularly sensitive period because babies’ brains are rapidly developing through face-to-face interaction, language exposure, movement, and play. By age 6, children are entering formal school, when working memory becomes increasingly important for following instructions, solving problems, and learning new information. 

It’s important to note that this was an observational study. Meaning, it found an association—not proof that screen time directly caused poorer academic performance.

Is Every Minute of Screen Time Harmful?

At first glance, findings like these can make parents want to throw every device out the window. But that’s not what experts recommend.

In an analysis published by The Conversation, researchers note that the conversation around children’s screen time has evolved significantly over the last decade. Rather than treating all screen use as equally harmful, many pediatricians and child development experts now encourage families to think about:

As a parent, I’m all ears. So if I’m understanding the points correctly, watching a nature documentary with a parent isn’t the same experience as endlessly scrolling short-form videos on Youtube alone. Video chatting with grandparents isn’t the same as spending three hours switching between games. Using a tablet to create digital art isn’t identical to passively consuming algorithm-driven content. Noted!

What Screens Might Be Replacing

One reason scientists remain concerned about heavy screen use—particularly in infancy—is that screens can crowd out experiences young brains need most. Babies and young children learn through conversation, pretend play, physical exploration, reading books, and responsive interactions with caregivers. Every hour spent on a screen can become an hour not spent doing those things. That’s one reason organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization have long recommended avoiding screen time before about 18 to 24 months (other than video chatting) and limiting recreational screen time during the preschool years. Those recommendations were also highlighted in coverage of the new study by SciTechDaily.

Still, no family is perfect. Experts recognize that. Parents work. They need relief. Kids get sick. Flights get delayed. Sometimes “Bluey” saves everyone’s sanity. Just do your best, parents.

What You Can Do Instead of Stressing

If all this research has you wondering whether you should overhaul your family’s screen habits overnight, take a beat. Small changes can make a meaningful difference.

Some ideas experts commonly recommend include:

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this latest research isn’t that parents should fear screens.

It’s that early childhood appears to include certain developmental windows where healthy habits may matter even more than researchers previously understood.