Giving Compass' Take:

• With most of the world in quarantine, Katherine Martinko, at TreeHugger, writes about the effects of kids' increased screen time and how parents should react.

• In a predominantly digital age, what can we do to manage our screen time through the pandemic? What are alternative options to technological entertainment? What can you do in and outside of your home to spread screen time awareness?

• Looking for a place to start your coronavirus giving? Learn more here.

If you thought governing your kids' screen time was tough before the pandemic hit, you have probably changed your mind by now. Those were easy days by comparison. Now there is seemingly so little for kids to do that handing them a screen has become the default for many parents just to get through the day. It has also become the means by which many teachers are continuing to educate their students, and friends and family are keeping in touch.

This raises questions as to whether or not it is OK for kids to be spending so much time online. On one hand, the Washington Post reports that screen time "has gone from sin to survival tool" and has become a near-necessity.

On the other hand, all the extensive research warning against the negative effects of excessive screen time for children has not suddenly disappeared. It should not be ignored. Major organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and National Institutes of Health, have warned against children's use of hand-held devices in recent years. Tablets, phones, and computers do not cease to be harmful devices just because we have little else to distract us these days, and it's important for parents to realize that.

Parents shouldn't feel guilty for the times when they do need to use screens to improve their quality of life temporarily; we all need a break sometimes, including the kids, and these are trying times. But kids still need to be actively 'parented' more than ever right now, and I believe a big part of that is encouraging them to stay offline and showing them the many ways there are to entertain oneself without a device in hand.

Read the full article about how parents should respond to increasing screen time by Katherine Martinko at TreeHugger.