Managing Screen Time with Toddlers & Young Children
Like building any healthy habit, managing screen time for kids starts at a young age. With all of the technology available it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Here are a few tips to help teach your kids to control their time in front of screens.
Keep Media in Common Areas
Screens are no longer just televisions. With phones and tablets now in the mix, kids can wander from one room to the next, and it’s impossible as a parent to follow them around all day. By restricting media to a desktop or a television, or creating a rule that all devices must stay in common areas you can keep an eye on what your kids are using their screens for and how long they’re being used.
Use Media as Family-Bonding Time
Redefine digital time by turning it into family time. Turn the majority of the time your family spends in front of a TV into a movie night. By making this time about socialization and bonding, you’re removing the associations your child as about sitting in front of a screen with alone time and sneaking in some family bonding.
Use Technology to Limit Screen Time
In addition to the parental controls on televisions that block programs of a certain rating, there are now apps that work across all smart devices to restrict total usage, individual app usage, and can report back how your kids are spending time on their device. There are also settings built into many devices, both Android and Apple, that allow parents to select which apps their child has access to and to turn off in-app purchases. This is especially beneficial for younger children who don’t know their way around technology just yet.
Set Time Limits and Rules
Set rules and stick to them! Whether you’re using an app to manage screen time for you, or just relying on supervision, sticking to the time limits you set from the beginning is important. If you do want to increase the amount of time your child spends on a device, use minutes as an allowance after they’ve done something like picked up their toys or helped feed the dog.
Set an Example
If you spend all your time on your phone or computer it’s going to be much harder to convince your child that they can’t do the same. Set a good example by managing your own screen time and doing other things like reading when you have a free moment.
Encourage Other Activities
For many kids, watching TV or playing a game on a phone or tablet is a default activity when they are bored. Show them that they have other options, by playing with them and encouraging other activities. Try doing a puzzle, reading a book, or playing outside.
Keep Your Kids Healthy from the Start
Practice these healthy habits and many others with the help of AGC Pediatrics. We’re here to keep your children healthy from birth. Contact us at (706) 625-5900 or visit our patient portal for more information.
Keep Media in Common Areas
Screens are no longer just televisions. With phones and tablets now in the mix, kids can wander from one room to the next, and it’s impossible as a parent to follow them around all day. By restricting media to a desktop or a television, or creating a rule that all devices must stay in common areas you can keep an eye on what your kids are using their screens for and how long they’re being used.
Use Media as Family-Bonding Time
Redefine digital time by turning it into family time. Turn the majority of the time your family spends in front of a TV into a movie night. By making this time about socialization and bonding, you’re removing the associations your child as about sitting in front of a screen with alone time and sneaking in some family bonding.
Use Technology to Limit Screen Time
In addition to the parental controls on televisions that block programs of a certain rating, there are now apps that work across all smart devices to restrict total usage, individual app usage, and can report back how your kids are spending time on their device. There are also settings built into many devices, both Android and Apple, that allow parents to select which apps their child has access to and to turn off in-app purchases. This is especially beneficial for younger children who don’t know their way around technology just yet.
Set Time Limits and Rules
Set rules and stick to them! Whether you’re using an app to manage screen time for you, or just relying on supervision, sticking to the time limits you set from the beginning is important. If you do want to increase the amount of time your child spends on a device, use minutes as an allowance after they’ve done something like picked up their toys or helped feed the dog.
Set an Example
If you spend all your time on your phone or computer it’s going to be much harder to convince your child that they can’t do the same. Set a good example by managing your own screen time and doing other things like reading when you have a free moment.
Encourage Other Activities
For many kids, watching TV or playing a game on a phone or tablet is a default activity when they are bored. Show them that they have other options, by playing with them and encouraging other activities. Try doing a puzzle, reading a book, or playing outside.
Keep Your Kids Healthy from the Start
Practice these healthy habits and many others with the help of AGC Pediatrics. We’re here to keep your children healthy from birth. Contact us at (706) 625-5900 or visit our patient portal for more information.