Introduction
Everyone today seems to be connected, even young toddlers. Screen time is a part of our society and includes things like playing video games, utilizing educational applications, watching YouTube videos, and browsing social media. And while technology has emerged as a vital tool in our lives, it has also been connected to hazards for our emotional well-being and physical health, such as the propensity to sit rather than move about, sleep issues, social isolation, and bullying. As the biggest private early childhood education provider in the nation, we understand your worry about how much screen time kids get and how they use it. Children are growing in their ability to think critically, which is essential for making wise lifestyle decisions, including safe digital ones. Instead of being passive consumers, we want them to be active producers.
Here are tips that can help children become safe digital learners
1. Set limits on children’s screen time
Children’s creativity is boosted and their ability to explore the environment is aided by unstructured, natural play. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children under the age of two should never use digital media (with the exception of the occasional video conference with family), and that children between the ages of two and five should only use it for no more than one hour per day. If your preschooler or school-age child uses a screen, it’s not the end of the world. Just be sure to establish boundaries and encourage your child to engage in unstructured play with friends or siblings, read alone or aloud to you, go for walks, or engage in outdoor play. Additionally, your youngster will benefit more from gadget use if it is engaging.
2. Actively engage with your child’s online experiences.
You discuss your children’s activities at school and their friends with them. Discussing what they are doing and who they are chatting to online is equally crucial. While your kids are online, sit with them and take part in what they are reading, watching, and doing. Don’t only act as a watchdog; engage in and aid encourage their learning. Tell your kids they may talk to you about anything, including what they see online, at any time. During screen time, the more you engage with your kids, the better paret child relation you will have.
3. Use technology for creation.
The app that your child loves may claim to be “educational,” but what is they learning as they swipe their little fingers across the screen? Children may use technology to explore, create, and tinker, but only if the tools they are using truly foster critical thinking and inquiry. When we include technology into our programs, we take care to ensure that the kids “drive” the technology rather than the other way around.4. Teach children how to be thoughtful about what they read and watch
Digital traces can linger for a very long period. Have a discussion with your kids about how people’s online perceptions of them—whether positive or negative—are influenced. Teach your kids to think critically about what they hear and read online by acting as an example of appropriate online behavior. We could all need a reminder, no matter how old or young we are, to pause and consider our response before acting on anything we saw or heard from a friend, whether we are online or not.
5. Make tech-free time part of your life
The best moments to put the devices away and focus on the moment are during meals, family gatherings, and before bed. Turning down the volume and leaving the screen on in the background won’t cut it; instead, switch off your technology and encourage your family to interact informally. You never know where the play (or discussion) will go. Want some guidance on how to achieve this? Consider this advice from TalktoAngel, an Online Counseling platform for Child Counselling.
Conclusion
Together, we can show kids how to use the internet wisely and safely. Keeping an open surrounding about online activity builds respectful, caring, and supportive relationships that help our children grow and thrive. If your child is having high screen time and internet usage and looking for “Child Psychologist Near Me” or want to talk to someone TalktoAngel , best online counseling platform.
