Want to reduce screen time for kids?

Fed up with your child’s increased time spent in front of the screen? Trying to figure out the best way to reduce screen time for your kid?

While unlimited time with electronics might keep your child busy, hope you are well aware that they also need time to play outside, build friendships, and use their own imagination. And yes! too much screen time is not good for your child’s mental and physical health.

I am sure you must have tried to set limits on your kids with help of a flood of options available on the internet. Many times, they worked and many times not. Right? So, let’s scroll down to get some realistic ways to reduce the exposure to electronics and keep your child away from the screen.

1. Improve yourself

Sorry to start but the truth is that children always imitate the behavior of their parents. If you, as a parent, are spending more time on mobile phones and not paying proper attention to kids then how can you expect ideal behavior from them? So, the foremost requirement is to minimize your use of mobiles or television in front of the kids. Rather, spend time with them and encourage healthy behaviors at home. If they see you engaged in creative activities rather than on screen, they are more likely to repeat the same.

Remember! a healthy home environment with minimum use of tech gadgets will make your kids hail and hearty.

Related: Toddlers and Mobile Phones: A Dangerous Friendship

2. Set limits

Well, it is not easy to turn off the television or mobiles completely all of a sudden for the kids. For this, a much easier option is to limit the screen viewing time for a day. Choose an appropriate time slot when kids are allowed to watch television. This will make kids understand and know when to expect screen time and when not. Yes! kids would complain for the first couple of days but soon the rule would be their new normal.

And of course! Don’t forget to ensure that if you are making a rule then it is to be implemented and followed strictly.

3. Get moving

There is no doubt in the fact that physical activity is quite crucial for a child’s overall growth and development. But, the sad reality of today’s time is that mobile phones, television, and video games have reduced their interest in outdoor activities. An average of 60-minutes of physical activity each day is beneficial for a kid. This can include cycling, swimming, or any other sport of the child’s interest.

And yes! To get your kids to involve in more physical activity, start being an ideal role model. Involve them in your routine of exercise or yoga at home and daily walks.

Related: How to spread social awareness for students or children

4. Make friendship with books

Yes! You guessed it right. Books should be the best friends for your kids rather than mobiles or television. Create an environment at home by which they develop an interest in reading more and more books. Increase their awareness related to a variety of subjects and books. Not only this, you can even engage them in other activities of their interest such as art and craft, drawing, and dance.

Let’s accept that television or mobiles are a momentum-gathering behavior. The more you watch it, the more attractive it becomes. But the opposite is also true. The more you turn the screen off, the easier it becomes to get rid of it. I bet you will witness a change in your kids’ behavior as their screen time will get reduced.

5. Have fewer screens

In this modern era, the reality is that electronic gadgets such as laptops, television, and mobile phones have become a part and parcel of our lives. No doubt, these have simply become one of the basic requirements to survive. Amidst all this, keeping our children away from screens has become extremely difficult. One of the solutions to this is to reduce the number of screens for children at home. A child’s bedroom should never have a television.

Always charge your mobiles or laptops in another room that does not have kids. This would prevent screen exposure during bed-time and wake-ups at late night on the arrival of any text.

Related: Why is it important to listen to your child?

6. Set example

To make kids follow your instructions, you have to set an example! Yes, you have to spend quality time with your kids. Play with them! Laugh with them! And have fun with them! But remember to keep your mobile away from you during this time. Try not to check your mobile screen again and again, which, the truth is that most parents do. With this, kids get snubbed when they witness that a parent is gazing at the phone again and again instead of them. This causes them to act wrongly to gain attention.

Keep in mind that when a child gets your full devotion, they will behave in an appropriate manner. As a result, you will also find it easy to curb their technology use.