As a parent, you may be concerned about all the warnings regarding the ill effects of too much screen time for children. Furthermore, you might have noticed how your own mood changes based on your media consumption. Watching the news or scrolling on social media probably doesn’t lift your spirits. You don’t want your children to be exposed to the same negative news.
Today, it’s challenging for parents to create realistic and healthy boundaries around screen time and media consumption for their kids. But by taking a proactive approach to this issue while your children are young, you can set your children up for beneficial habits in the future. Here are a few suggestions for minimizing your children’s screen time and making sure they do not access inappropriate content online.
Limit Your Children’s Screen Time
Naturally, creating healthy media habits begins with putting limits on screen time. Depending on your children’s ages, they may need to use devices to complete schoolwork. If this is the case, check in to see how much time they will realistically need to complete certain assignments. You should also ensure that your children do not have any screens in their rooms. Double-check that they haven’t brought any devices into their rooms before bedtime.
It’s normal for kids to protest these rules and limits, especially if their peers are allowed unlimited screen time. However, keep in mind that you ultimately control access to their devices, and after an adjustment period, they will likely accept your rules.
Allow Age-Appropriate Social Media Access
It’s a smart idea to implement parental controls for any devices that your children have access to. If your children are old enough, they might be interested in creating their own social media accounts. It’s a wise idea to keep your children off of social media until they reach middle school at the earliest, and then you can consider implementing reasonable limits at your personal discretion.
Make sure that they set any accounts to “Private” and add you as a friend so that you can see the content they post. You may want to go over other privacy settings with them for extra caution.
Answer Their Questions About World Events
Creating healthy media habits isn’t just about limiting screen time and media exposure. It’s also about helping your children process what they see in the media. When talking to older children, you can discuss how the media frames certain events and promotes a negativity bias. You may want to talk about how to spot biases and remind them that events in your own community have a greater impact on your own lives than international news.
Encourage Reading and the Use of Print Media
If you want to help your child learn more about the world without falling into excessive screen time habits, don’t overlook the power of reading! Finding nonfiction or historical fiction books suited for their reading level can be a great way to open up their minds. Your older children may even be interested in reading the newspaper.
Monitor Your Own Media Consumption
It’s important for parents to set good examples when it comes to media habits. If you spend lots of time scrolling, your child will naturally feel inclined to imitate you. If you’re a heavy social media user, your child will start getting curious about social media. “Audit” your own habits to identify where you could cut back on screen time.
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Are you worried about your children’s media habits? A therapist can help you set healthy boundaries. Reach out to us to learn more about your options for booking your first appointment for child or parenting therapy.