With ever-increasing number of screens available to children, calculating how much time they should spend in front of one is becoming even more complicated, writes Keza MacDonald for The Guardian.

In this digital age, the usual formula used by parents of limiting their children to only two to three hours of TV a day has largely become redundant. Now, parents face regular battles with their children over the TV, smartphones, tablets, and other devices.

But recent research has shown that this situation can be mitigated. For parents of young children, a recent study by the University of Michigan suggests “how children use the devices – not how much time they spend on them – is the strongest predictor of emotional or social problems connected with screen addiction.”

For younger children, the broad consensus is that the most important thing is whether families are playing, watching, or browsing together.

“It’s important there is balance in the online and offline worlds and in leisure and learning,” said Jocelyn Brewer, a psychologist who specializes in the concept of digital nutrition. “Research shows that not having access to the digital world has a negative impact on kids, so it’s about finding the right amount.”

Read more about assessing screen time in The Guardian here.