Managing Screen Time Without Being “Evil Mum”? You can do it!
Being a parent in this age of emerging technology is tricky. Particularly during COVID and home-based learning!
Our children are surrounded by screens and will be expected to be able to navigate technology upon starting school. There are televisions, phones and a plethora of devices that bleep and bloop and it feels like there’s no choice but to allow our children to plunge headfirst into a world that sometimes it feels like we don’t understand.
Many parents elect a ‘no screen time’ policy in their own homes which has its merits. This encourages creative play and cognitive development the old fashion way and allows for parents to create a ‘safe space’ where their children can be free to grow and play without the interference of devices.
However, what if you want to involve screens in your child’s development? There are many positives (as well as negatives) as to the place of screen time in children’s lives. They will certainly be using screens in their schooling and in the world of work once they finish formal education. So where to? And how to? What’s the balance? The answer is more straight forward than you may think.
It’s All About Choice
The decision is in your hands as to how and when to use screens in your child’s development. And that’s the key word – development. Screens aren’t as evil as they are often made out to be. There is a world of wonder that awaits at your click or tap. It just comes down to choosing the right apps and games for your child and not being ‘suckered’ into the flashing games and endless looping entertainment.
Where children get caught up in screens is the endless reward gaming system. Those ads that pop up about tending to gardens, fighting off evil marauding hordes or jumping endlessly over boxes don’t offer your child any development. They’re merely mindless pursuits and that’s where a lot of the tantrums start.
Choosing the right games and apps gives you back control over screen time when it comes to devices. There is a wide range of educational games that are waiting at your fingertips – delve right in! A good starting point might be the Toca Boca suite of games. Get exploring and start researching, it’s not all bad! In fact, there is creative play and cognitive development opportunities out there if you make the right selection.
The Screen Time Token Timer is a game changer!
The Screen Time Token Timer is designed to manage your kids screen time in a postive way. It encourages your kids to be more helpful and motivated to assist around the house.
Using tokens, which kids love, you create a new currency for earning screen time in three easy steps:
1. You set the chores
2. The kids do the chores
3. You pay the kids with “timed” tokens that control how much TV or device time they have.
Once the time is up the TV/Device switches itself off.
To get more screen time, they have to do more chores! Brilliant!