Staying connected, entertained and informed is much easier today than it has been since the genesis of technological advancement. In the palm of our hands, we can easily access our favorite shows, social media and music. Children also appreciate this ease as much as we do.
With varying views on what is considered normal, the topic of children’s screen usage is frequently divisive. It is getting harder to keep youngsters away from technology and online media as both of these things become more prevalent.
Setting limits and rules on your child’s screen time and the kind of materials they have access to is very vital as a parent. The key is to be consistent and clear with your expectations.
RECOMMENDED SCREEN TIME
Under 18 Months
All screen media should be avoided except for video chatting. Because children this age are still vulnerable.
18 to 24 Months
Choosing to begin screen time at the stage is up to the parent. If you do, only the best content should be introduced. To ensure that kids fully understand what they are watching, it’s important to watch with them.
2 to 5 Years
No more than one hour per day co-viewing with a parent
6 Years and Above
At this stage, it’s vital to implement parental control measures and limits to the types of social media they use and time spent. If not, it may result in a range of negative effects.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME
Whether it’s from watching too much tv or spending too much time on smartphones and video games, the impacts can be quite detrimental to a child’s health.
Below are few effects:
- Education Problems– Tons of research have shown that children who grew up with television sets in their bedrooms perform poorly as compared to those who did not in academia.
- Obesity– over screening puts kids and teens at risk for overweight.
- Sleep Problems– despite the fact that most of us watch tv to unwind before bed, the light from screens can disrupt the sleep cycle. This can lead to insomnia.
SCREEN TIME RULES
The most effective way to limit your children’s screen time is to involve the whole family in the process. This means that if you are watching TV, you cannot order your ward to switch off his video games. Therefore start with implementing the below household rules:
- No television or mobile devices are allowed during meal time.
- Have nights dedicated to family bonding and ban technology.
- No screen time in the car.
- No screens allowed in the bedroom
The benefits tagged to spending screen free nights with the family are amazingly overwhelming, especially regarding everyone’s mental health, physical health, psychical health and relationships.
Sources
- https://www.osfhealthcare.org
- https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org
