With the rise of online learning due to the pandemic, children now spend even more time on computers, tables and mobile phones than ever before. As such, screen time for children has now reached an all-time high.
Excessively high amounts of screen time may have a negative effect on children’s health, as they may lead to:
- Behavioural problems
- Obesity due to lack of physical exercise
- Sleep problems
- Under-development of social skills
- Impairment of family relationships
Therefore, it is important to regulate your child’s screen time. Here are some practical tips to do so:
Start slow
Be realistic with your expectations. If you feel your child’s screen time is currently too high, reduce it gradually, and not by drastically large amounts at one go. In this way, your child will be able to slowly adjust to the decreasing screen time and not feel any immediate withdrawal effects.
Keep the devices away
As they say: “Out of sight, out of mind”. By keeping the tablets and mobile phones away from view, it will prevent any temptation to get back onto these devices.
Engage more with your child
Learn to give your child your full attention as much as possible. There is nothing more engaging than a parent who is fully present for the child. A fully attentive parent is far more interesting and engaging than any electronic device.
Enjoy more activities together
Spend more time with your child by engaging in more interesting activities with them, be it playing indoor games, or going out to the park, or going swimming, or just taking a walk together. This is a great way to spend time together while also bonding together as a family.
Final thoughts
Like it or not, technology is always going to be more pervasive and electronic devices are always going to play a bigger part in our lives. However, by taking practical steps to reduce screen time for your kids, you would be able to observe positive changes to both their physical and mental well-being in the long run.
