Screen Time Management Strategies for Children
Screen Time Management Strategies
for Children
Young
children are in a stage of rapid brain development, and they need to be using
their hands and actively discovering and problem-solving. So it is recommended
to avoid, where possible, screen time until the age of 3. However, the pandemic
has increased both adults and children screen time due to online classes and
meetings.
What could be the negative aspects
of excessive screen time?
A
lot of screen time can lead to:
●
Disrupted sleep.
●
Obesity.
●
Chronic back and neck problems from
a tender age.
●
Anxiety.
●
Depression.
●
Low test scores.
●
Physical strain to the eyes, as
well as to the body.
●
Impaired cognition.
● Vulnerability
to many other chronic health issues.
How could screen time negatively
affect your child's development?
Several
Australia-based trainers of MontessoriAcademy share their experiences in this regard. As they have observed,
children who tend to spend too much screen time tend to:
●
Deteriorate the child's ability to
experience and observe.
●
Participate less in various
engaging and fun activities.
●
Have a lesser interest in learning
about anything around them or exploring the world. It gives rise to a
"tunnel vision."
●
Have compromised social skills.
●
Suffer from improper emotional
judgement.
● Take
more time to learn new skills.
How many hours is sufficient for
screen time among children?
There
might not be any hard and fast rules regarding screen time for children.
However, childcare professionals
mention that:
●
Toddlers below two years of age
would preferably have zero screen time. However, occasional video chat with
friends and family is not harmful.
●
Children ageing between 2-5 years
should have no more than an hour of screen time every day. However, the child
needs to co-view with a sibling or a parent.
● Those
ageing between 5-15 years would need to use their computers and phone for study
purposes. Apart from that, two hours of screen time could be fine.
What are alternatives to minimise
screen time?
Several
fun distractions can help young children stay away from electronic devices for
a good many hours. It can be anything from:
●
Playing with clay dough.
●
Reading together with friends and
family.
●
Trying outdoor games.
●
Cooking and baking together.
●
Indulging in family games at the
weekends or before bedtime.
● Try
arts and crafts, or join a dance/song class.
Finding
distractions for your children can be less challenging if you spend some time
with them. You can help them explore their true calling.

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