Media Balance

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.

• 2 hours on week days, 5 hours on weekends

Which three questions should you ask yourself when thinking about your own media balance?

• What? When? How much?

• Where? Who? How?

• Here? There? Everywhere?

• Why? When? Where?

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.

When answering the question "What?", what is involved?

Mark all the correct answers.

• What are the media you're consuming (or creating)?

• What platforms are you using to consume the media (i.e., a streaming platform like Netflix)?

• What device(s) are you using to consume (or create) the media?

• What feelings do you have when your on the media?

When answers the question "When?", what does it entail?

Mark all the correct answers

• When are you consuming (or creating) the media?

• What time of day? What day of the week?

• What else is happening at this time (i.e., is it during dinnertime, right before bed, etc.)?

• When will you get your school work / chores / other responsibilities done?

When answering the question "How Much?", what is it referring to?

Mark all the correct answers

• How much media are you consuming?

• How long are you spending with the media at one time?

• How often are you consuming the media?

• How do you feel when you're on the media?

Keeping in touch with my friends and family at any time is a ___(drawback_or_benefit)___.

Being distracted by my online activities when I should be present with my family or friends is a ___(drawback_or_benefit)___.

Feeling like I have to respond to a message right away, even if I don't want to is a ___(drawback_or_benefit)___.