Smart technology – IPad, iPhone, Samsung tablets, these are just some examples of smart screens that our kids would have interacted with before. The truth is inevitable – our children are growing up in an age of Smart Screens. From the time they are young, every time they step outdoors, advertisements about the latest form of SmartScreen technology are flashed across their eyes. Regardless of whether it is about a mobile phone, a tablet, or even a laptop, these advertisements increase their exposure towards such products.
From using these gadgets to keep themselves occupied through games or videos, kids will continuously need these gadgets for their homework assignments as they grow older and go to school. It will be no sooner that our kids may demand a need for the phones to maintain an active social life, with the large influence that social media has on their lives.
So much of our life—from listening to music to reading the news to writing letters to finding information—now takes place digitally. As this generation grows older, they’ll grow into a world that exists, a lot of the time, only through the medium of a screen. Is this a good thing, though?
Many studies in recent years have said again and again that more time on screens can be bad for kids. Results have been presented to claim that that more screen time increased depression and anxiety and reduced kids’ ability to focus.
Because of this and other findings like it, many children’s health organizations have come up with strict regulations around screen time. Most recommend limiting children’s use of digital media heavily. Until five years old, they say, screen time should be limited to a maximum of an hour a day, depending on the purpose of screen time. Beyond that, screen time should be based on what parents judge appropriate for what children need the screens for.
Screen time is an easy demon to hate. As digital devices become more common in our children’s lives, we need to be careful about how we approach and use this double-edge sword. All screen time cannot be treated the same. For example, if children are using a computer to watch an explanation of a Mathematical concepts or practice English grammar, they’re not going to fall into the patterns of addiction. However, if kids are playing video games for six hours a day, they might begin to face a risk of addiction, which may result in emotional anxiety, and a reduction in the ability to focus.
As with everything, the key to curb such negative consequences of children’s screen usage is moderation and communication. Staring at a screen for hours will never be good—children need to get outside and run around, just as a general healthy practice! And what’s more, you need to have those discussions with them about it. If you want to enforce limits on certain kinds of screen time, like video games or YouTube videos, talk to your children.
Ask them what a fair amount of screen time is—give them a chance to present their arguments, and then present yours. This way, restrictions on screen time will not end up being an issue for your children to resent and fight against. Instead, a balance can be achieved simply by discussing with your children about a fair amount of screen time that they should be allowed to have. This instills a sense of responsibility and ownership in the child. Start those discussions today and help your child make the most out of their screen time.
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