Screen Time
As a parent, there’s no doubt you’ve heard (and likely had to weigh in on) the debate over children and their appropriate amount of screen time. Looking back at your own experience as an adolescent, you probably remember a time spent free from the confines of a glaring iPhone screen – now a constant bombardment of information, likes, and validation from peers. It’s been well documented, now, how smartphone use has been linked to depression, inattention, and sleep deprivation across the ages.
Without access to the technological developments, though, you’re undoubtedly putting your kids at a disadvantage. The items may be intuitive, yes, but practice still makes perfect… Or it at least gives them a fighting chance at the tech jobs of the future.
Maybe the answer isn’t cutting off screen time entirely. Instead, rather than the murky waters of using screen time as a distraction for the child (and a break for you) and where the risks of dependency come up, we can start figuring out ways to encourage productive, purposeful, and – most importantly – moderated use. This includes keeping it out of the bedroom, having clear guidelines, setting restrictions, and encouraging healthy smartphone use.
Having your children accustomed to the uses of technology is an important life skill to develop, it just needs to be done responsibly.
Here are the recommendations of use by the American Academy of Paediatrics.
- For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing.
- For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
- For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.
- Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms.
- Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.
Of course, it’s important to talk to your childcare service provider about your expectations for their technological use. Take the time to develop a plan to ensure your goals are aligned with their activities, helping to ensure success for your child.
If you’re a parent looking for a qualified childcare nanny or educator, talk to Rogan Family Care today to find out how we can assist you in finding the right person. Contact us online or by phone at 03 9670 7686.
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