Media Balance

Gabriel likes to watch his favorite TV show before going to school. Recently, he's been so into the show that he loses track of time and misses out on walking to school with his friends. Why might this be an issue for Gabriel?

• He misses out on catching up with his friends.

• He feels lonely on his way to school because he has no one to talk to.

• He is starting to be late for school more often.

• All of the above.

Gabriel is feeling bummed out about not being able to walk to school with his friends because he's been watching a show instead. What should he do to change that?

• Walk to school with his friends and watch the show on his phone.

• Set a limit on how much television he watches, making sure that he's ready to walk to school with his friends.

• Talk to his friends during class to make up for not being able to walk to school with them.

• Don't worry about it until his friends say something.

Which of the following best describes media balance?

• Not using any form of digital media.

• Getting distracted by digital media when doing homework.

• Choosing to play only your favorite video games.

• Using digital media in a way that feels healthy and in balance with your other life activities.

Kaira likes to create art, especially paintings. But lately Kaira has been so busy keeping up with friends online that there never seems to be enough time. Imagine you're Kaira. What should you do?

• Wait until your schedule slows down. You can always do your art later.

• Use a sketching app while watching videos so you can focus on two things at the same time.

• Schedule time to paint and turn off your phone during that time. It's important to do the things you like.

• Cross this activity off your list because you can't do everything.

Kendall likes to relax before bed by watching funny videos on her phone, but she often loses track of time and doesn't go to sleep until really late. Then she has a hard time waking up for school in the morning, making her feel grumpy. What should Kendall do?

• Use her phone to chat with friends instead of watching videos.

• Setting a timer to watch videos for 15 minutes, then putting her phone on a charger in another room at night.

• Force herself to go to sleep early without having a moment to relax.

• Watch videos earlier when she's doing her homework.

Maya enjoys staying connected with friends on social media. Lately she's started to get a lot of notifications on her phone. Maya opens the app every time she sees a notification and is beginning to feel anxious about checking her friends' posts right away. What could Maya do to maintain a healthy media balance for herself?

• Maya could complain to her friends. ​

• Maya could change her phone settings so she does not receive notifications that distract her.

• Maya could respond to her friends' posts, telling them how annoying they are. ​

• Maya could delete her account and never use social media again.

To be balanced, how much time should you spend using media?

• One hour per day

• As much as you want

• However much feels healthy and positive, which is different for everyone.

The choices we make about what media we use effects how we feel.

• True

• False