Before we get started, let’s get one thing straight: I think screen time is vital for children. Aside from providing great entertainment, it is clear that computer literacy is now an essential life skill. Nonetheless, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, which is why finding ways to limit screen time is crucial.
Here are some top tips to help you do that without encountering battles with your child.
Get Outside More Often
One of the many reasons why parents turn to gadgets is that they feel like cheap entertainment compared to days out. However, spending time outdoors needn’t cost a fortune. Black Friday scooters will present a new hobby for your child to enjoy in the park or skatepark. They can gain years of fun from this while parents can get involved if they like to. If hitting the ramps isn’t quite for you, basketball or football make a good alternative.
Either way, making good use of public parks and trails will serve you well.
Find Alternative Home Activities
The fact of the matter is that your child will spend more time at home than in any other setting. Moreover, it is where they are most likely to spend hours in front of screens. Therefore, it’s essential that there are other activities available to balance their time. Puzzles are a great option for young kids, not least because they develop fine motor skills too. Older kids may look to crafts, music, and a host of other solutions.
When kids want to spend time on other things, screen time naturally falls.
Allow Them To Socialise
For many kids, playing online games and using social media is the best way to connect with friends outside of school. However, allowing them to have sleepovers or invite friends over for the afternoon removes this issue. It is likely that they will still spend time in front of screens. Still, this will be interspersed with creative play either in the garden or different rooms in the home.
Meeting up with other families allows you to embrace this further.
Set Guidelines
One of the big problems with screen time addiction is that kids can become aggressive without it. Therefore, it’s important to put some boundaries in place to promote a healthy relationship. This could mean switching gadgets off at a certain time each night or not having them at the dinner table. Once your child gets used to the new rules, you should see a change in their temperament. And they hold their screens hold on them.
In many cases, this will translate to improved sleeping habits too.
Find Better Gadgets
Whatever you do, there is no stopping the appeal of gadgets. Instead of always fighting it, you can also look to find better options. Interactive games that encourage movement are a great alternative to standard games. Alternatively, you could look at drone technology or cameras as a way to enjoy tech without only staring at screens. As long as kids enjoy the new options, they won’t miss the old ones.
Once again, the fact that you can play an active role in these tasks is a bonus.
