Focus on schoolwork

Both adults and children may feel the urge to pick up a device just because it’s around. “Our devices are addictive and designed to be that way,” said Dr. Megan DeFrates, a clinical associate of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital. “They’re designed in a way that we get a little dopamine boost, a little hit when we get a like or a notification.”

Johnsen said staring at a screen for long periods of time can be hard. It’s natural for kids’ minds to wander, even during in-person schooling. “We are normally stimulated in person, by all kinds of nonverbal cueing.

“Like looking around the room and noticing what people are doing. That might be distracting, but it does provide input. And so our brains love it,” Johnsen said.

Johnsen recommends random, periodic check-ins to make sure kids are paying attention.

If possible, parents can also have kids in the same room where they work, making sure everyone stays on task.

Outside of school, kids can still spend lots of time on their devices. For parents concerned about how often their kids are using electronic devices, DeFrates said online school probably won’t lead to technology addiction, as with video games or social media.

“It’s a different kind of screen usage. It’s interactive. It’s unfortunately, a necessary part of being in school right now, but this too shall pass,” DeFrates said.