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Simple Tips to Limit Your Child’s Screen Time

We live in a world where screens are found almost everywhere around us. This is why monitoring and controlling a child’s screen time can be quite challenging. What makes things even more complicated is the fact that some screen time is essential for them because they are educational and help the social development of our children.  

As a parent, if you seriously want to limit your child’s screen time, here are some simple tips you may consider following.

• Parents must try to be their children’s role models in terms of screen use. While binge watching our favourite Netflix series, we often forget that we are not setting the best example for our kids. This is also true for activities such as scrolling through the phone whenever we have some spare time or keeping the television on all the time. 
• Most of today’s kids are extremely tech savvy and many of them have a better understanding of electronics than their parents. This is why it is important for parents to be well acquainted with the latest social media platforms, games, apps, etc. For example, unless you understand the dangers of social media, it would be impossible for you to make you child aware of it. 
• Create certain technology free zones in your house where laptops, handheld gaming devices, and even mobile phones are strictly prohibited. The dining room of your home can be one such place where the entire family spends time in family conversations and having meals. 
• Use parental control to ensure that your child is not able to access any explicit content on TV or on the internet. This feature is available with most TVs, web browsers, as well as routers. If your child uses a smartphone, create content filters to block specific web searches, websites, and even keywords. 
• Before you start limiting your child’s screen time, be sure to explain why you are doing it. They are more likely to follow the rules, if they understand why these rules are being created. Also, include all family members in this discussion.
• It becomes much easier to limit a child’s screen time by making him or her interested in other activities. Encourage your child to read a book, play outside, or spend some time on an old boardgame. 
• Instead of making it a right, make screen time a privilege for your child. However, once you have a set a limit, don’t provide extra screen time as a reward. Try to stick to the daily limit and reinforce positive behaviour by providing low cost or free rewards. 
• Finally, keep your child’s bedroom screen free. Often times, monitoring a child’s activities in his or her bedroom is difficult because they are out of your sight. If your child requires a computer for academic purposes, it may be allowed with adequate parental control measures.

These are just a few of many things you can do to make sure your child is not spending too much screen time. If you have more questions about your child’s developmental requirements, please contact our experts at Valley Heights Preschool.