Dear parent!
What thoughts, feelings, emotions, come to mind when you think about your children and use of screen devices?
You may worry about cyber bullying, addiction, and increased laziness in your child. At the same time, you may feel frustrated, exhausted and helpless when trying to manage or cut back screen time.
You should know that it is perfectly normal to have these feelings and emotions. When it comes to screen time dilemmas or any other parenting dilemma, the answer lies in the dynamic of our relationship with our children. Ask yourself, what is the one thing you can start doing today with your child to help cut back on screen time?
You could take more walks together, encourage reading, paint, set aside 1 on 1 time, spend more time in nature, or take on painting! You can also have a conversation about device use during calm moments, and agree to cut down screen time together to help you lead by example and keep each other accountable.
What else can you do?
1. Create and enforce screen rules for adults. Be the role model!
2. Only use one screen at a time.
3. Use parental control to filter age appropriate content.
4. Ensure no screens in the bedroom. All devices should be used in a public place. Also, introduce a screen basket to hold devices when someone steps out of the public room. E.g sitting room, dining area.
5. Set and enforce limits for screen use using clear and consistent boundaries. For example only two - three hours of screen time a day. Failure to observe this limit will deduct screen time from the next day.
6. Prescreen the content your children are going to watch beforehand to ensure age appropriate content.
8. Say No! - instead, encourage time outdoors or other activities such as painting, reading, learning how to bake, family game nights etc.
How are you showing up today for your child when it comes to screen time? Are you looking for tools to help you create a healthy relationship with your children?
Sign up for Stawi Champions Parenting Program today for more tools on how you can come alongside your children when it comes to limiting screen usage and any other parenting concern.