What you're doing now is part of something U.S. teens do about nine hours each day, on average. That’s how much time a typical teenager devotes to digital entertainment such as streaming video, DVDs, music and games That finding comes from a nonprofit group named Common Sense Media says. Its new study, based on a 2015 survey of 2,658 young people, also shows that "tweens" aged 8 to 12 spend an average of six hours with e-media, the researchers say. They exclude use of digital gadgets for homework.

"The fact that tween and teens in the U.S. are using an average of six to nine hours' worth of media a day is still astounding," says the group, based in San Francisco. Its founder, James Steyer, adds: "The sheer volume of media and technology that American kids spent time with his absolutely mind-boggling. It shows you that kids spend more time with media and technology than they do with their parents, time in school, or any other thing."

Boys are much more likely to play video games than girls. Male teens spend an average of 56 minutes a day gaming, while girls devote only seven minutes. Girls spend more time on social media or reading than boys. Two thirds of teens think that they can multitask during homework time, the national survey also shows. Just as many adults do, they switch over to texts and social media while working. At any age, Steyer says, "it gets in the way of your ability to concentrate and to synthesize information well." A fellow researcher, Jill Murphy, suggests: “Parents should feel empowered to set limits on screens of all sizes. . . . These rules can be as simple as 'no phones at the dinner table' or 'no texting after 9 p.m.' "

Blogger says: "Don't count me among those who are shocked by how much time kids are using media. . . . Electronic media has been here longer than any of us can remember and -- so far -- the world hasn't come to an end." – Larry Magid, Huffington Post contribuor

Advice to parents: "Lead by example by putting your own devices away during family time. . . . Kids will be more open and willing participants when the house rules apply to you, too." -- Jill Murphy, Common Sense Media