Moderating Screen Time
Have you ever felt like your kids were watching too much TV or in front of a screen all day?
I am embarrassed to say…this happened to us. We watched shows before napes, before meals, when the kids were squirrely, snack time, when they woke up too early, before bed….oh my!
We knew this had to end and fast! We evenly cut back to a max of two, 30 minute sessions a day. Proud to say we eat our snacks in the kitchen again AND read!!! Good for me too since I can’t snack while I read to them. #notinmy20sanymore
How to Cut Back
Well, first thing you need to know… Screen Time is NOT evil! Technology is here to stay! That’s how we are connecting now. I love technology and connecting with families around the world.
Why?
I will never argue or deny that screen time, in any form, can provide a great distraction! We have used it to give ourselves a break, distracting while making dinner, get the kids to sit still for haircuts, keep a kid quiet while another was sleeping, car trips, and the list can go on and on.
While it may be a great distraction, we all know it should be limited.
The American Acadamey of Pediatrics claims the average child gets seven hours of screen time a day… WOW! But not a surprise, especially with online learning and the use of screens even at school.
I bet you have heard many of the reasons why we should cut back but I know I need to hear them to keep myself grounded…
- Gain weight/obesity
- Sleep problems
- Lower self esteem
- Behavior problems
- Less focus
- Decreased attention span
- Less creativity/independent play
- Loss of empathy – ability to understand & share feelings
- Communication problems
- AND more!
The First Step
First things first…determine your max amount of screen time you want to allow (on a normal day). Then take small steps!
You don’t have to cut back on screen time cold turkey in your house. Take small steps! We picked one time to cut back on screen time, determined what we would do instead, and then did it. Was it perfect everyday, NO but we kept working on making a routine. After we felt good about our new norm, we found another place to cut back on screen time until we were happy with our results.
What to Do Instead
We can provide alternatives with little to no prep time! Hurray! You also don’t need tons of stuff. You probably have lots around the house. We just need to make it easy for our kids to find these things…
- Put bins around the house, with toys, that kids can see in
- Don’t put to much in the bin so they can see what’s inside
- Place books where kids can see them
- Display some book covers to draw kids over to the selves
- Rotate toys and books (keep extra bins in the closets)
Kids also love playing with things that aren’t toys!
- Boxes
- Sticks
- Rocks
- Potatoes
- Really anything!
Please note that independent play is okay. It is good!
This took me a little while to believe and put into practice. Please know that you are still a good parent when you aren’t playing by their side every second. Sometimes we can actually get in the way of their creativity and imagination. We can still play with our kids…just also allow time for independence.
Books are My secret weapon!
If you have been following me, you know books are the antidote. Books make our kids smarter, happier, and influence their future ALL while educating, regulating emotions, and giving knowledge. Books can literally make our kids more successful in life.
Have your family read independently and out loud. Even read aloud to your older kids! Why read aloud? Our kids hear our soothing voice, rhyming words, and vocabulary. Reading ignites imagination, creativity and cognitive development. Not to mention the amazing bond you are creating ❤️
But of course, there are way more things that our kids can do. Cut back on screen time with dance parties, playing outside, cleaning, making food, doing a craft, learning a song, etc.
Role Model
Lastly, try to be a good role model… eek…this was the hard one for me! We really need to create distance from our phones when it is family time. Email can wait, Facebook will be there…GUILTY!
We Got This
I would love to hear from you! What can you do to moderate screen time in your house?