Increasing Screen time in kids: Let’s manage it in a productive manner

COVID-19 has introduced a new dimension of opportunities and the significance of technology in sustainable development. Everyone is compelled to stay at home to be safe and contribute to the fight against this deadly disease. For children, this situation has opened up a new dimension. Earlier, kids used to go to their school for around 4-5 hours a day and then devote around 3-4 hours with gadgets like watching TV, playing video games, etc. But now things have changed and digital education is the new normal. So, kids are now using gadgets for attending their classes and learning new things on different education platforms. This can be seen as a positive step as kids are now using technology for productive use. But this trend has also resulted in a high jump in the screen time. The parents are now concerned if this change is right or wrong and what can be the effects of this screen time on their kid’s health. According to experts, this change is OK and there is nothing to worry about. We can’t avoid screens but we can manage the day well to strike a perfect balance between screen time & health. Let’s explore the ways to make a healthy relationship with screen time.

How to manage screen time & health?

One meal without screens for a short break

Make sure that your child has a meal without a screen nearby. Usually while eating, children prefer to watch TV, but this habit should be avoided. Start with one meal without media and then, later on, it can be applied to other meals of the day. Also, it is noticed that watching TV influences kids to eat junk food as there are many advertisements promoting their low-nutrition food items. So, it is better to initiate a conversation with your kids in mealtime which can improve the bond, balance socio-emotional health, and divert the young minds from TV.

Try to provide 2 hours of screen-free time before hitting the bed for sound sleep

It is said that 2 screen-free hours before sleeping can be helpful in having a sound and deep sleep as blue rays of the screen can disrupt the natural sleep cycle and patterns in kids. Also, this step will be useful to save some screen time. You can implement this step by setting an alarm or by keeping the phone or any other gadget out of the bedroom

Monitor the screen time and quality of content for planning the screen time of the day

You should keep a close watch on the time duration spent with screens and what type of content your kid is watching on it. You can cut off the screen time wherein the content is not fine. And when studying online, you can help your kid by being by their side and helping them to understand what’s going on the screen which can make their online study session more effective.

Let your child indulge in physical activities in free time for his physical fitness

You should encourage your child to play games that require physical energy or try some creative things like painting to develop his mind. Also, this will uplift his mood and help him to be more positive and enthusiastic towards life.

So, the screen has become a part of life that we can’t ignore but can monitor its usage and plan the day well to detox from the screen, whenever possible. At Catch Them Young, we provide interactive sessions so that the focus of the child is on the understanding of the concept and not just the screen. Special attention to each student is given so that we can ensure that your kid has a good understanding of the concept and can implement it in the exams. So if you are looking for an online academy for kids, then you can contact us anytime.