How To Reduce Your Child's Screen Time: The New Guide to Reducing Their Smartphone Use
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| How To Reduce Your Child's Screen Time |
Families now spend more time together, less time reading to children, and give up on quality time together due to the distractions caused by smartphones. Children now look for their phones as a way of calming down or seeking attention. Parents see this as a problem because they are worried about their kids’ future. They are concerned that these behaviors will lead to bad habits in the future. But children need love and attention more than ever before, so let’s make sure they get it. Here are some ways to get your child more attached to you, not their smartphone.
Reduce their screen time
Let your child take the lead. If your child wants to bring their phone into the bedroom with them, let them. Let your child sit and draw with their siblings and give them undivided attention instead of using their phone to send a photo to their friends. Your child can use technology to entertain themselves, so be ready with a variety of apps and websites that have only games. It’s okay for your child to use tech to play a game or to watch a YouTube video. However, let them choose what they want to do and have their own device or to use your phone. It’s possible that your child is so enthralled by their smartphone that they don’t want to talk to you or do anything. Rather than fighting their desire to show you the latest thing on Snapchat, let them have a moment alone with their device.
Encourage reading and downtime
A reading nook for kids can be a wonderful refuge from screen time. Picture these reading nooks as something you will both enjoy. Put your child in the parent's lap, and read together. Give them the opportunity to learn something by not doing the smart device thing all the time. If you want to enjoy screens of your own, make sure you are using them in other ways. Set a reasonable limit on the amount of time your child can spend on a smartphone each day. The recommended time is two hours for ages 2 to 5. But I suggest children under 2 should not use any screen for this time period. This is when your child is still developing hand-eye coordination. Other ways to spend time together will help your child get over their attachment to their smartphone. Go outside and play.
Setting limits and consequences
One way to stop your child from reaching for their phone is to set limits and consequences for when the phone goes missing. For instance, if you tell them that if the phone is out of sight for five minutes, you won’t give them a treat, and five minutes pass, they will not get the treat, they will know the consequence of leaving it out. This is also a good way to deal with them when they lose their phone. Once they lose it, they know the consequence for it. The same is true for if they are on the phone when you need to talk to them. There are some consequences you can give them for using their phone when they are not supposed to. For instance, if you are trying to drive, you can say, “If you are on the phone and we get in an accident, you can’t drive for six months.
Help them cope with emotions without distraction
Provide positive attention to your child and reduce negative attention from a smartphone Encourage your child to play Be sure to take time for them to do something they like to do. Their physical, social, and emotional well-being will suffer if they are “just doing nothing.” Start an “actual” game that involves them. Don’t just have a “challenge” like flash games that the child has to complete. Games that involve memory, imagination, or logic are better for developing skills. Take turns, play by the rules, and make it fun Allow them to play by themselves for short periods of time Share positive things with them and encourage them to share with others Look at their screen Teach your children that they can take a break from screens to have a more attentive parent.
Plan activities to do with your child
Play. Take the family to the beach or the park, hike, or eat dinner together. Plan activities with your child so they know that when they need you, they can count on you. Make sure to provide activities for your child in the morning and at the end of the day to give them opportunities to spend time with you, rather than their electronic device. Encourage healthy meals and snacks Research shows that over 1 billion children today are overweight or obese. According to the CDC, at least three out of four children eat fast food on a daily basis. The majority of those kids will grow up to have abnormal body measurements, according to the CDC. Provide children with healthy choices so they will learn that the quality of food they eat will have a great impact on their health.
Make them feel safe and loved
This is probably the most important factor in reducing a child's smartphone use. Children need a strong foundation in their parents' love and support. Young children don't have to be in a close relationship with their parents for them to have a strong bond with them. They still love their parents because they know that their parents love them. Remember, if you let a child love you, he will give his all for you and treat you well. A child who feels loved can become more attached to their parents and be able to trust them. Spend a lot of one-on-one time together You must develop a bond with your child before you consider changing anything in their lives. This includes one-on-one time, no phones, and physical touch.
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