Managing screen time seems to be a sensible way to help a child develop self-discipline and the social skills that are essential for face-to-face interaction. Having screen time balanced with other activities can be a part of a healthy lifestyle for your child. Today research has consistently shown that children spend a maximum of 4 – 9 hours on the screens and thus resulting in negative effects such as attention problems, social and behavioral problems, and unhealthy waking among others.
Having some helpful strategies at hand to help navigate limits and manage appropriate screen time usage can help avoid such.
Strategies to help you manage screen time with kids!
Be an example to your kid!
Kids always learn by what they see, if you keep your face buried in your phone all day than you chat and interact then they won’t see anything bad with that, and will not value anything you’ll have to say about limits.
Make it count!
Think quality rather than quantity. Encourage your kids to use apps, websites, and YouTube channels to run quality content that cultivates the values, virtues, skills, and attributes during their screen time. Discuss the merits of certain sites over others, offer a choice of two equally wholesome options, even better be present with your child and chat with them as they access content, so they experience you as interested and engaged in their online adventures.
Note: screens are not digital babysitters.
Encourage other activities.
If your child has nothing to do but stare at the screen, you should not be surprised that that is beyond. Provide necessary resources such as books to read, ball games, musical instruments, sporting equipment, get down and play with your kids.
Discuss and agree on limits.
Setting limits is an act of love that shows you care about your child’s well-being and development. However, children will find limits easier to roll with it if they have had some input into the decision-making. It is, therefore, a good idea to discuss as a family how you are going to set your limits and what they’ll look like, for instance; no screen an hour to bed or no screen while having dinner.
Decide as a parent and come to a conclusion on what your non-negotiables are and where you can have your child choose.
Facilitate transition.
It is always a conflict between parents and kids relating to screen usage when they are asked to end their screen time. However, remembering and accommodating effective transitions can help avoid quarreling with your child. For example, let your child know that you can help them save their game, so it’s ready for them to come back tomorrow; this helps to be clear about the options your child can transition to.
Reducing screen time for kids is one among many other ways to protect children from the dangers of the internet as well keep them healthy and well-rested, and so with what the screens and digital media offers, it makes sense for parents to model and teach kids how to handle and manage them with care.
