No digital devices for children under two – Dr. Persaud

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, is urging parents to put away digital devices and become more involved in their children’s early development, warning that children under the age of two should not be exposed to screen time.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Early Childhood Development Conference on Wednesday, Dr Persaud acknowledged that technology has become an unavoidable part of modern life. However, she said parents must be mindful of how it is introduced to young children, particularly during the critical stages of brain development.

“We live in a very fast-paced modern world where there are many distractions, screen distractions.

“Children below the age of two should have no screen time. That’s not my rule…because in that time you have some of the important brain development and you have to be conscious of what’s going into that child’s brain. It should not be a phone and tablet,” Dr Persaud explained.

She also discouraged parents from using phones and tablets to occupy young children, urging them to rethink the practice.

“If you’re doing it, stop it,” she said, adding that although the world has become increasingly digital, parents should ensure children are exposed to technology in a balanced way as they grow older.

Dr Persaud stressed that parents remain a child’s first teachers and should lead by example through their actions rather than their words.

“I have always maintained and learned this, our parents are our first teachers and our parents set lived examples not by what they say but by what they do,” she said.

She further encouraged parents to be fully present in their children’s lives by listening to them, understanding their needs and paying attention to whether they are meeting developmental milestones.

“Be present in your child’s life, be present fully, listen to them…understanding fully when there are cases when maybe they are not developing as well or as fast or in line with the developmental milestone,” Dr Persaud said.