Screen time is a very addictive activity thay requires very low energy and involves sitting down and playing video games,streaming video games,streaming videos,browsing the Internet,scrolling to social media or even doing homework online,etc.......
Screen time can be spent on smart phones ,tablets,computers,gaming consoles and has its own pros and cons.
BENEFITS OF SCREEN TIME:
PROMOTES SCHOOL READINESS:
Some educational apps are highly recommended as they encourage reading ,spelling ,writing and maths skills such as Reading eggs,Study ladder etc.....I remember that I also used few apps for my kids when they were little to introduce shapes,colours and numbers for about 15 mins and they learned things in a fun way with limitations too;)
LEARN DIGITAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Screen time can help kids with different skills such as video editing,video animation,graphic designing or 3D designing by using Tinket Cad to design an object.It also helps with different coding programs such as Java,Scratch,Python,HTML etc....
WEALTH OF INFORMATION:
Children get access to vast information on everything and they are learning alot if they find the right websites and apps.Some platforms such as Wikipedia,National Geographic,Animal planet,TED,Khan Academy,Science daily etc are great source of information and are beneficial if they are spending time on those.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Screen time us useful for children to help them learn a new language .It also helps them to have chit chat with friends and family if they live abroad through normal or video calls .
DISADVANTAGES OF SCREENTIME
Screen time has its advantages as well as as well as its disadvantages and some of which are:
PHYSICAL HEALTH:
It can leas to many health problems such as obesity,neck and back problems,headaches,eye problems etc....
MENTAL HEALTH:
Excessive screen time whether it's on smart phone,gaming console,apps,television can lead to bad mental health such as depression,anxiety brain fog especially when you are using screen near bedtime or during daytime without breaks.Research showed that children who used screen seven hours a day were twice as likely to develop anxiety or depression than children who used screen for an hour or less.
SLEEP DISTURBANCE:
Many people,adults as well as kids have a habit of using phone or laptop before going to bed which makes them harder for them to go to fall asleep.The blue light exposure from the phone or laptop slows down the production of melatonin which us produced by our brain can lead to insomnia.
LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:
When more time is spent in screens the less likely that person is going to be engaged in healthy physical activity.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT:
Excessive use of screens can also effect the cognitive development negatively in children .They have less concentration when trying to solve some challenges,brain teasers, puzzles,etc....and have decreases analytical thinking abilities .
EYE PROBLEMS:
Longer hours of screen time causes strain which leads to dry eyes,headaches and also blurred vision .Taking breaks in between our screen time can lower this strain.These days many children get glasses at a very young age and most of them are the ones using screens from very young age.
STEPS TO REDUCE SCREEN TIME
Various steps and measures can be taken to control and limit screentime in kids and we can actively plan it by creating an example with our own screen usage especially when they are around us.
Here are some simple steps which can be taken to have a smooth and healthy routine.
1)Screen free zones:
Dinner tables and bedrooms should be screen free zones.Many families have a habit of watching television while having meals or even scrolling channels before bedtime and this can be avoided.
2)Use parental controls:
All devices come with a setting to limit access to certain games ,apps and YouTube. We can change the setting and turn on the parental controls and also set up time limit for our children.
3)Encourage active time:
Plan outdoor activities with your child such as nature walk,garden scavenger hunt,sports ,hopscotch,driveway chalk drawings etc....and try to be involved with them in outdoor activities.
4)Keep alternative activities for them:
Try to keep kids books ,puzzles,board games,legos etc within their reach and maybe in your living your living room so that they can easily access these .I enjoy sitting with my kids at tea time and help her solve puzzles or maybe do craft or maybe build with duplos with her while the other one does her homework and in that way both are getting my time and plus the activities are done in the living room so I'm always around and they are easy to access.
Hobbies such as reading ,drawing?building with legos,craft,solving puzzles, baking is healthy as well as a good alternative.
5)Set a good example:
We are a role model for our kids.If we want them to use less screens then we ourself should be limiting our screen time and instead spend time with them doing something fun and healthy.
