Holmdel panelists urge small, practical steps to balance screens and childhood development

A community panel hosted by the Balance Project in Holmdel convened educators, clinicians and students to discuss how screen use affects children’s development and what families and schools can do to promote balance.

"Boredom is a gateway to creativity," said Emily McHugh, a licensed pediatric occupational therapist and founder of Sticks and Stones, describing outdoor, unstructured play activities that she said help children practice problem-solving and tolerance for discomfort. McHugh recommended parents "lower the bar" for nature time — ten-minute backyard walks or tagging outdoor time to meals — to reset attention and emotional regulation.

Shan Shantel Seminelli, principal of William R. Satz Middle School, told the audience that "not all screen time is equal" and distinguished collaborative, creative and educational uses from passive scrolling. Seminelli said the district has added a new elective, "digital citizenship and technology in society," for incoming seventh graders to teach responsible use and critical thinking about online content.

Katie McEvoy, an occupational therapist with Holmdel Public Schools, cited research linking early, prolonged handheld device use in children under about 2–3 years to a higher risk of fine motor delays because screens replace hands-on play opportunities. "When kids are on screens for multiple hours per day, that puts them at a higher risk of having fine motor delays," she said.

Samantha Saffioti, a licensed clinical social worker who leads crisis clinicians at Bayshore Medical Center, described clinical presentations she sees: mood swings tied to device use, neglect of responsibilities, and children using screens as a primary coping mechanism. "We do see kids coming into the crisis unit with suicidal thoughts and self-harm where social media interactions and bullying are part of what they're absorbing," she said.

Student panelists said adolescents feel constant pressure to be available through messaging and social apps, which can create anxiety and fear of missing out. Sebastian, a Holmdel High School senior, described how some classmates insist that too many websites are blocked at school while also acknowledging that unrestricted phone access is distracting.

Panelists suggested concrete steps for families and schools: set consistent phone rules (for example, no phones at dinner), foster non-screen hobbies, add green-space routines into daily life, and teach digital citizenship in school. McHugh recommended parents "tag nature time with what they're already doing" so outdoor activity becomes part of an existing routine.

The panelists emphasized content and context—rather than only minutes—as vital factors. "It's not necessarily the amount of screen time; it's what they are looking at," Saffioti said, noting that stressful, fast-paced or bullying-related content can heighten risk. The discussion also included practical teaching points about sleep hygiene; panelists warned that evening exposure to blue light and stimulating content can delay sleep onset and disrupt circadian rhythms, particularly for younger children.

The session closed with a call for continued community conversation and pledged sharing the recording with attendees. Organizers said the aim was to provide usable, realistic strategies rather than to eliminate technology altogether.