How much is TOO MUCH?

With experts warning that children's screen time is at 'crisis point, we ask...

- CHARLOTTE OWEN

We've all seen it: small children being pushed along in strollers while clutching a screen. Or maybe the grandchildren are always parked in front of the TV when you visit? And hands up, who has passed judgement on the parents for it? 'Screen time' never used to be an issue - the TV consisted of just a handful of channels, and phones could only do basic tasks.

Many parents use screens to get a few moments' peace, but recently experts have warned that pre-school children's language and development is in severe decline due to an over-reliance on screen time. More than 25% of threeand four-year-olds own their own smartphone, according to a recent Ofcom report. Yet while many are quick to blame parents for fuelling children's obsession with screens, others argue that they are a necessary tool for worn-out parents, and nobody should be parent-shamed for using them.

We speak to one mum who admits her children have too much screen time, but has no plans to cut back.

IT'S A HABIT WE CAN'T BREAK'

Charlotte Owen, 38, lives in Leeds, West Yorkshire, with her husband, Alex, 37 and two children, Sebastian, three, and Harriet, one.

It's 5am when I feel my 14-month-old son, Seb, wriggle his way into the middle of our bed. He's been up three times in the night already and my husband Alex and I are completely exhausted. If we don't leap out of bed and start the day, he'll have a tantrum - so I hand him my phone.

While he watches Hey Duggee on iPlayer, we steal another 30 minutes of sleep.