Screen time is not inherently a bad thing, so long as it’s kept in moderation for your child to manage. There will also be no right or wrong way of deciding what is an appropriate amount of screen time or not.
However, helping your child understand what they can do aside from being on their phones or watching TV all day will strengthen their skills.
Learning and enjoyment doesn’t have to come from tablets and smartphones when there’s a wealth of knowledge waiting out there for them. This Sixth Form in Warwickshire has a strong focus on outdoor knowledge and exploration, for instance, which you could instil in your child’s learning.
To help manage your child’s screen time, here are some key tips.
Mix up the activities each week
Keep your child on their toes by suggesting new and exciting activities to try out with them each week.
Part of what helps your children grow is going to be what they can do with whatever interests them each day of the week.
If they’re stuck using a tablet every chance they get, they won’t know any different. Varying what they do each week will ensure your child is stimulated and ready to explore new areas of learning all the time.
Limit the screen time
Setting limits is a stricter but understandable rule you may have to put in place if your child is becoming too comfortable with using an array of devices.
From playing on their own phones before bedtime or playing a lot of video games, you can set time limits on them so that they can turn their attention to something else.
This is especially important before bedtime, as the blue light can cause them to stay up later and not get a comfortable night’s sleep. If you can, encourage your child to step back from these kinds of devices an hour before they head to sleep.
Don’t make it an issue
Heading straight to the problem and making your child feel bad for using these sorts of devices all the time can end up causing more issues.
When we think about it a lot of our everyday devices now rely on screen time, so it’s important to remember that when addressing this issue.
So don’t scold your child if they succumb to the pressure, or end up turning back to their devices again. Instead, make this another learning opportunity for them. They can learn a lot more about themselves if they are the ones to slowly figure things out.
In short a lot of kids will appreciate screen time and shouldn’t be viewed as a negative aspect of child life, but it should be something used in moderation. Providing a range of activities to help with your child’s studies can move them away from picking up their phones, or watching TV constantly.
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post