Most parents will know that kids tend to be pretty obsessed with screens and sometimes it’s hard to drag them away. Screentime doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative thing and there are plenty of fun and educational platforms that can be very beneficial. It is, however, a good idea to put a focus on alternative activities to encourage them to be more well-rounded. It’s tempting to rely on the TV, tablets, or videogames as a sort of emergency babysitter, but if you’re organized, you can limit your family’s screentime.
Encourage alternative activities
Now that the colder weather is approaching it might seem more appealing to cuddle up in front of the TV, but it’s still important to encourage healthier activities. There are many fun and creative ways to stay active and the whole family will benefit from this. Wrap up and embrace the outdoors. Go for a winter walk together as a family or encourage your children to take up a new sport. Here are some examples of winter activities for families you can try out during your no-screen hours.
Parental controls
Parental controls give you the opportunity to track and monitor your child’s activity on their smartphone and other devices. With new advanced tools, you can even spy on WhatsApp and track their location and contacts. You can also set your web browsers and TV to prevent kids from accessing inappropriate content. You can use apps in order to block specific websites, keyword searches, and pretty much anything you don’t want them to see. This way you’ll have peace of mind that they’re surfing the net safely.
Spend quality screentime together
A big-screen TV is seen as one of the must-have home essentials for most families. You could try and limit screen-time as more of a treat or a reward for good behavior. Arrange family movie nights and spend quality screen-time together, rather than seeing it as a necessity. If you limit screen-time to certain hours in the day this will also be easier. Try to change the whole family’s attitude toward using screens as a habit and make it more of a privilege.
Keep bedrooms screen-free
For younger children especially, you could keep their bedrooms screen-free. This is a simpler way to monitor your children’s screen use when you aren’t there. At the very least, you could then limit them from using screens at night which might interrupt their sleep pattern. You could set up a game room or family entertainment center instead. Create zones and time slots for screens and keep others screen-free.
Explain why you’re limiting screentime
It’s essential to aim to create effective communication, rather than simply enforcing a rule without any explanation. Talk to your kids about the reasons why you want to limit family screen-time and ensure they understand your point of view. Make an effort to spend time with them and listen to them as well, particularly during no-screen time hours. This way they won’t always associate it with being a punishment and will appreciate screen-time more when it’s allowed.
Become more tech-savvy
It’s a good idea to learn more about the electronics your children are using. This will help you with parental controls and you will also be able to communicate with them a little better about it. Read up on different types of online resources that could be more beneficial to your children. Check out this parent’s guide to educational technology, for example, there are plenty of ways you can introduce more quality screen-time instead. Your children will probably be a lot more clued-up about how to use the latest technology so it’s important to learn as much as you can about it.
Lead by example
If you really want to limit family screen-time, the rules shouldn’t only apply to the kids. Lead by example and avoid using screens as often yourself. Instead, focus on this time to do other family activities and make an effort with each other. You are an important role model for your children and they will only mimic your behavior. Set an example of the attitude towards screen-time you want your children to have, and they’ll be more inclined to listen to your advice.
Limiting screentime is definitely challenging as every family member is probably guilty of relying on it when they’re bored. Try to encourage better habits and plan healthier outdoor activities from time to time. This is the best way to take the focus off the screen for once and for all.
