Raising Kids in a Digital World: Balancing Screen Time and Play

“Technology is a dangerous master but a useful servant.” – Christian Lous Lange

Christian Lous Lange was not wrong when he coined this saying. Technology has been beneficial in many ways; you can talk to your mates, who are located thousands of KMs away, and in an instant, you can conveniently access your favourite pastime, such as playing at https://casino-syndicate.com/nz/, without much hassle, or even undergo a medical procedure via technology. But even with these advantages, technology has its fair share of disadvantages – and fatal disadvantages. Whether it’s among adults or kids, technology can have serious consequences when not put in check. This article focuses more on the adverse effects it can have on children and how to overcome them by balancing screen time and play.

The Effects of Screen Time on Children

Failure to regulate screen time for children can have a range of deadly consequences, which can impact their development and daily life. Below are some drawbacks of having children exposed to long hours of watching television or using mobile devices:

• Concentration and attention issues. This can result from long hours of exposure to the fast-paced, high-simulating content they watch on their screens. The negative impact can be seen in a child’s poor performance at school or when engaging in activities that require long hours of concentration.
• Exposure to inappropriate content. Inappropriate content mostly includes misleading information, violence, pornographic videos, and much more. This mostly affects younger kids who have yet to reach the age of 10 and don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
• Mental health issues. Reports indicate long exposure to screen time can result in mental health issues such as low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Social media, especially, contributes to feelings of social isolation and inadequacy, especially among children who spend most of their time interacting online. There are plenty more issues such as delayed speech and slow development of a child in terms of reasoning and thinking like their peers, among others.

How to Find a Perfect Balance Between Screen Time and Play

How do you get to balance screen time and play? What are some of the benefits that children will gain? These are important questions you must ask yourself if you are looking to raise healthy children. This section looks at them in detail:

• Lead by example. Your children always look at what you are doing – consciously and subconsciously. They always want to be like you! Therefore, if you don’t want them spending a lot of time on their devices, engage yourself in what you’d like them to do.
• Set designated screen-free zones. Designate sections in your house as screen-free zones. These include bedrooms, dining rooms, and reading areas. Additionally, you can mention no-screen time during meals, when you are seated together as a family, or an hour before bedtime. This will not only promote family cohesion but also a better sleep routine. 
• Encourage your children to spend time outside. From a personal experience, it’s up to you as a parent to encourage your children to spend more time outside. If you leave it up to them to watch television or spend time on their screen, they’ll get lost in the gadgets. However, you can identify activities they like doing and encourage them to partake. For instance, if they enjoy swimming, get a portable pool in your backyard. If they spend a lot of time watching truck-related cartoons or channels, buy them truck toys to encourage them to go outside.

Fostering healthy screen time habits in your home requires collaboration between guardians, parents, and children. When you lead by example, monitor your child’s screen time, encourage academic engagement, and set up a screen-free zone, you can easily foster a balanced lifestyle and happy family.