Conscious parenting has become a priority in today’s times. However, in today’s digital-first world, conscious parenting isn’t just about teaching right from wrong. It’s also about navigating the growing presence of screens in our children’s lives. We can’t ignore the fact that from online classes and educational apps to gaming and video streaming, screens have become an inseparable part of childhood. As such, while completely eliminating screen time may be unrealistic, guiding children toward healthy usage is both possible and essential.
At Delhi Public School Kangra, one of the top schools in Kangra, we believe that setting thoughtful boundaries around how much time children spend on screens and what kind of content they consume can help strike the right balance. So, in this blog post today, we will explore how to manage screen time wisely to ensure children benefit from technology without being overwhelmed by it. Read on.
What Does the World of “Healthy Screen Time” Constitute?
Let us begin by understanding what healthy screen time truly entails. So, basically, healthy screen time means having defined hours/time slots in a day when children are “allowed” to sit before the screen. This is usually over and above the usual online classes/online academic requirements that they may have.
In the case of healthy screen time, parental supervision is never a miss. Here, parents ascertain that everything the child is being exposed to online is safe for consumption. This means that healthy screen time leaves behind meaningful insights and positive learning experiences for children.
A major plus point associated with healthy screen time is flexibility and adaptability among children. Say you, as a parent, feel like eliminating the screen time on some specific day. Once this is communicated to the child, if he/she shows grace in accepting the same, it is enough proof that you as a parent have been successful in keeping screen time regulated/healthy for your children.
Essentially, healthy screen time becomes children’s reality when parents set the right example. Why we are saying so is because, in most cases, children tend to mirror their parents’ habits and choices. So, if you think your children’s screen time isn’t healthy, you need to first make sure that you are not following an unhealthy routine yourself.
Related – Do Healthy Screen Time Limits Really Exist?
What Does “Not-So-Healthy Screen Time” Look Like?
Not-so-healthy screen time constitutes everything that isn’t covered above. The most common scenario in this case is parents putting a screen before children to keep them busy so that parents can get some time off from their children. For example, in a bid to enjoy a peaceful meal at the restaurant, parents simply hand over the phone to children, unintentionally pushing children to the screen. That’s a red flag right there.
Also, it has been seen that parents who themselves spend most of their time before the screen, be it a television or mobile, end up making their children screen addicts. Needless to say, screen time of this kind is unplanned and non-resourceful in nature.
When children spend excessive time before the screen, but this isn’t directed towards an academic requirement or learning goal, again, this counts as an unhealthy habit, leading to children losing countless hours staring at the screen.
Here, we at Delhi Public School Kangra would specifically like to mention instances wherein parents ask children to put aside the screen, but instead, children decide to pick a stubborn stance and deny screen detachment. We are often approached by parents with similar complaints about their children. This is often a result of not correcting children in time. Unfortunately, these actions constitute a part of an unhealthy screen time regime and demand immediate correction.
Additionally, when discussing unhealthy screen time, we must not ignore the content that children are watching. For example, A-rated content may be unsuitable for your children to watch, but since you as parents are watching, your children may chip in, a habit that needs to be reversed there and then.
If these are habits you have pointed out in your children, it is time to sit down with them and talk them out against being too inviting towards screen time, especially the unhealthy ones.
Summing Up:
All this while, if you have been very strict with your children, barring screen time in full (beyond online classes, if any), we at Delhi Public School Kangra, ranked among the top schools in Kangra, would like to recommend you rethink the matter.
Instead of blocking the screen time for your kids, allow them fixed hours in a day where they can learn something new, pursue a hobby, or explore some form of entertainment using the screen. Make it clear to them what kind of content they can watch and what should be avoided. Keep track of their online content consumption.
However, if you turn into a parent who is too hard to budge, you will end up creating rebels who would be willing to go against the world to pull in some screen time. In such a case, it becomes difficult to get children off the screens. Also, it is quite likely that they will try to watch some inappropriate content on screen without parental knowledge. Hence, a better way out is to find a middle ground so that you, as parents, and your children can both be happy as far as screen time exposure is concerned.