Many parents worry about their children's screen time and hear many ideas about how much time is ideal. In fact, screen time should be determined by considering the time children spend on sleep, exercise, art and sports activities and their level of interest.
It is true that it is not easy to set rules about screen time. However, there are ways to prevent this and prevent parent-child conflict. These ways are;
Create a checklist.
Making a "developmental checklist" for your child, that is, making a list of activities that your child should spend time on to stay happy and healthy. It will help you determine the time. For example;
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Is my child getting enough sleep and a well-balanced diet?
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Does he get some exercise every day? ?
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Does she spend quality time with her family?
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Is she in touch with friends?
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Does she take responsibility for her homework?
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Does she spend time on hobbies and extracurricular activities that are important to her?
If you can answer yes to most of these questions, you can allow your child to spend time with the tablet or TV.
If the checklist is complete, you can refer to the screen time limitation.
If the developmental checklist is OK, you can decide if you need to set some new limits on children's screen time. Too strict and excessive rules will not help and will harm your relationship. So you can try the following methods to set healthy boundaries and keep conflict to a minimum.
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Make you feel understood.
Let children know that screen time is their own time to do what they love. Say you understand him and convey that you know the screen is his source of comfort and entertainment.
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Offer bonus screen time.
Try using the extra screen time as an incentive for good behavior. here What is important is that the child fully understands what is needed to gain extra time. For example, getting ready for bed without complaining can give them an extra ten minutes the next day.
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Have your list of alternatives ready.
Their preferred off-screen activities (arts) with your child , reading a book, or playing with a pet) makes it easier to leave the screen.
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Set the time.
It's easier to set a day or time ahead of time when kids know they'll be allowed to use the screen. For example, the 30 minutes before dinner is always on screen time. This helps kids know what to expect and reduces screen cravings at other times. Allows him to allocate time to other areas.
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Model healthy screen usage.
Your own screens at certain times Your kids are more likely to do the same without fighting if you take care to set them aside.
Don't break the boundaries after you've drawn them.
When you set up a system, your kids are against it. likely to come out. In the first few days, they can be aggressive, ask more than one question, and get angry. It's natural for kids to push the limits, but sticking to the plan is the only way to eliminate these reactions and move on to healthy screen use.
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Don't argue.
When it comes to screen time, logical explanations and justifications are not so important to children. Arguing about the rules will only make you angry. Once rules are established, they are not negotiable.
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Don't feel guilty.
Children often give examples that break your heart. "All my friends play this game as much as they want, and so do I." Being aware of the underlying message of this possible reaction will help you build a system and feel more peaceful.
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