From “Go play outside for some time”, “don’t spend too much time on your smartphones and laptops” to “go attend your online sessions on your laptop” and “try doing some useful online courses”, we have come a long way in a couple of months.
Singapore has begun its journey back towards normalcy. But, in reality, how many of us are “actually” moving towards normalcy? Most of us were using our smartphones and laptops for a longer duration even before COVID-19. With the outbreak of COVID-19, we’ve got more excuses to make to have increased screen time. This is true not just for children, but for parents too. So, what do we have to do?
Striking the right balance between online and offline time is very important.
Is it going to be tough to adapt to?
Yes!
Is it necessary?
Well, yes, if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle!
Back to School
The easing of the circuit breaker measures means that our kids are once again going back to their classrooms and playgrounds. But are we truly going back to a pre-COVID normal? No. There are going to be some impactful differences. The role of technology in the lives of our kids is one area which now needs significant attention. Let’s take stock of what has happened during the circuit breaker days in this respect and try to figure out what lies ahead.
Kids during the circuit breaker measures
How have the past few months been for our kids? Like others, they were also forced to stay indoors and miss most of their favourite activities. There was no outdoor play, trips to the park or sports training. How did we keep our children preoccupied?
Over the past few months, our kids have spent extra time on their gadgets. Screen time had surpassed the normal limits due to extraordinary conditions. With no other scope for activity (after exhausting other options), many parents were forced to fall back on gadgets to keep their kids occupied.
The shift to Home-Based Learning (HBL) also necessitated a longer screen time for kids. How has this affected them? Will we be able to reduce their screen time now that the scope for other activities has increased? Will they be able to explore other activities as they did before?
Getting out of gadgets?
So then, is it now time for our kids to cut down on gadget use? Yes and no.
Yes, because now they are going to have more opportunities for activity. They should go out a bit, get some fresh air and catch up with what they missed – playing in the great outdoors! It’s time to keep the gadgets aside for a while to indulge in such creative and healthy activities, maintaining the safety guidelines.
But on the other hand, we must not shun gadgets out completely. Why do we say so? Well, all our parents might have realised the utility of gadgets during the circuit breaker period. They are excellent educational tools and also exciting sources of entertainment. Our kids used their gadgets for multiple beneficial purposes during the circuit breaker measures. So why should they stop now?
Embracing the good
Giving your kids a certain amount of fun time with gadgets is certainly good.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
In addition to them spending time learning their academic subjects and doing additional courses, it is important that kids are also allowed to spend some time playing games on their devices. There are several mobile and desktop games available online that bring out the creative side in kids. Make sure you guide them through on that part.
Our kids are growing up into a world that is going to be driven by the internet. They need to be acquainted with proper gadget usage. Therefore letting our kids use gadgets is not a discretionary choice. It is a necessity.
Put the safeguards in place
While letting kids use gadgets, parents need to take care of a few things.
Firstly, teach your kids to be responsible tech users. We need to build a generation that is tech-literate and capable of dealing with dangers such as fake news and cyberbullying. If you are entirely new to the term ‘cyberbullying”, make sure you check this blog we recently posted highlighting the different types of cyberbullying and its adverse effects on kids.
Put parental controls in place. Make sure that you have an eye on what your kids are doing online. Make them comfortable enough so that they never think twice about coming to you if they face any problem online. Put in time restrictions. Teach them to enjoy a diverse range of activities with gadget use being one of them.
The post-COVID world is going to be driven by technology, more evident than ever before. We need to make sure that our children are ready for it, while at the same time ensuring that they don’t fall victim to gadget addiction. Let’s help them strike the right balance!
Tips for healthier Screen Time –
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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