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Explore how excessive digital screen time affects student well-being and academic performance. Learn practical strategies parents can adopt.
“Everybody else can, why can’t I? You are so unfair!”
This is one of the most common refrains parents hear when they try to set limits on smartphones (and other things!). The feeling of injustice in children is real, and for parents, the sense of isolation and guilt that follows can be equally strong.
In today’s hyper-connected world, Excessive Digital Screen Time (EDST) is not just a growing concern — it’s a reality for most students. While technology supports learning, creativity, and global awareness, it also brings significant challenges. At Diyafah International School Abu Dhabi, we believe that awareness and balance are key to nurturing resilient, focused, and emotionally healthy learners.
Children aged 8–18 spend an average of 7+ hours a day on screens.
At Diyafah International School Abu Dhabi, we believe balance is the key.
Excessive screen time can lead to issues like eye strain, sleep disturbances, reduced concentration, and increased stress levels. It can also limit valuable time for face-to-face interactions, physical activity, and mindfulness — all essential for a student's overall development.
Screen time management tips for students include:
These habits help students stay focused, reduce stress, and improve academic performance.
We recognise the importance of intentional screen breaks and promote digital detox strategies across all grades. Our goal is to help students regain control over their digital habits while staying connected to meaningful learning.
These strategies offer students refreshing breaks from screen overload and encourage exploration of offline interests.
Reducing screen time doesn’t mean eliminating technology — it means using it mindfully and purposefully. Our educators balance digital tools with hands-on learning to create an enriching environment.
By rethinking technology integration, we empower students to use screens as tools — not crutches.
Promoting a balanced digital lifestyle is a collective effort among students, parents, and staff. Our digital citizenship curriculum promotes self-regulation, responsibility, and awareness.
By instilling balance and mindful habits, we prepare students to thrive both online and offline.
Every hour spent on a screen often means an hour not spent on something more productive or developmentally essential. This is known as the Displacement Effect, where screen time replaces:
Over time, this imbalance can lead to reduced academic performance, lower test scores, and hindered social-emotional growth.
Numerous studies, including those by Jean Twenge and Jonathan Haidt, reveal a growing link between screen overuse and student mental health. Here's how it impacts students:
All of these contribute to a less focused, less motivated, and more emotionally fragile learning experience.
When parents act alone, they often face relentless pressure: “But everyone else has one!” Yet when communities of parents come together, the dynamic shifts...
Smartphones are powerful tools, but they are not neutral ones. When used without restraint, they undermine the foundation of a flourishing childhood: sleep, friendship, learning, and joy.
We encourage parents to connect, form alliances, and normalise healthier boundaries. By doing so, we not only protect our children from unnecessary anxiety but also give them the chance to live, learn, and love in the real world.
At Diyafah International School Abu Dhabi, we stand for digital balance, academic excellence, and whole-child wellbeing. Let’s build a generation that’s not only tech-savvy but also self-aware, focused, and flourishing.
Vice Principal