Governor Glenn Youngkin has launched Virginia Screen-Free Week, encouraging residents across the Commonwealth to put down their devices and take meaningful breaks from technology.

Youngkin pointed to statistics showing the average U.S. teenager spends about five hours a day on their phone. The initiative, he said, aims to promote intentional breaks from phones, tablets, and social media.

Dr. Kathryn Jones, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at VCU’s School of Medicine and child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, said screen time has become deeply ingrained in daily life. “It’s not uncommon to see kids telling their parents they can’t live without their screens,” Jones said.

As part of the campaign, Youngkin encouraged families, schools, and libraries to host creative alternatives to screen time, suggesting activities like putting phones away during dinner, taking walks, or organizing screen-free play days.

Jones emphasized that parental participation is key. “When we think about children and teens, they care a lot about fairness and justice… it can be helpful to say we are all going to take a break,” she said.

Excessive screen use, Jones warned, can lead to disrupted sleep, lower reading scores, and declining academic performance. However, even small reductions in screen time can have significant positive impacts. “Being able to connect with people without having to use a screen can be really important,” she said.

Virginia Screen-Free Week runs through Saturday, April 19. Jones added that device-free habits should be considered year-round to support healthier development.