How much screen time for kids?

We don’t limit screen time at all.
Our kids are ages 15, 12 and turning 9 next week. (Going into grades 4, 7 and 11.)
None of our kids are overweight, they all get good grades and they all will, on their own, get up – turn off whatever they’re using/watching and go outside to play on occasion and as weather permits.

Our kids have their own unique passions and interests – and for the most part – have always used electronics to supplement their interests. I started listing out what they use their devices for..and decided not to because it just sounds like bragging..and I don’t mean to be that parent..but suffice it to say, I’m thrilled with how they spend their time online, watching TV or using their tablets or laptops. And, they have tons of Legos, books, craft supplies and kits – and make good use of them.

By the way, our parenting style (with not heavily restricting digital devices / screen time) extends to foods and books and other things.
Hubby and I have always had the mindset that micro-managed kids who live in an overly sheltered/restrictive environment will obsess over whatever they’re being restricted from using/eating/seeing.

So, we have a big ol’ bucket of candy sitting on a kitchen counter. The kids will walk right past it and pick up an apple. I love when our middle daughter comes home from school and decides that she wants Oatmeal as her afternoon snack. That thrills me.
And, if they want a piece of chocolate after dinner, they’ll dig into the basket and find it. They know that when they’re hungry they should eat some real food..but because the candy is never restricted (always sitting out & available) they never seem to need to gorge on it.
This doesn’t mean we haven’t had boundaries, limits and consequences—we’re not totally free-range parenting here! We still insist on bedtimes to ensure they get sufficient sleep, and we’re definitely hands-on/involved with our kids at all times.

I let them have as much as they want. At some point one of them says they want to go play, I make them all stop and go to the park for a few hours, then they go back to their screens.

When the older relatives ask for help using their computer or finding out some fact on the web, I offer my 8 year old to help them use google. And I am not being ironic at all.

I think it’s great that some kids have no problems limiting their own screen time. I hope my children are able to do that.

My niece, however, is 9 and sits in front of a computer playing mindless games ALL. DAY. LONG. She’s an only child and that, along with a lazy parenting style, doesn’t help matters much. With a child like that, who practically throws a fit when she can’t be online all day, limiting screen time is a must. I’d say, for her, limit her to one to two hours per day. There’s no reason a 9-year-old should be on the computer for longer than that.

They can be trusted implicitly to regulate their viewing time themselves, always on the move my two, so no worries there.

My son was always active and preferred to play outside. I had him burn off steam outside after school, then settle down as dinner approached. My only rule was that the electronics couldn’t go on until the homework was done. I did not allow him to have a TV in his room until he was 13, and he had to buy it himself. Even though kids may be active when young, I still think bad habits are formed by zoning out in front of the TV screen.

We have no limit. They learn from much of what they see. It’s no different than desk time at school from what I can see. They prefer to run and play most of the time.