Technology News - Ryan Matchett
Managing Screen Time
As we approach the holiday break it is important to continue managing your child's screen time. These 6 tips can help you trim your children's screen time when not in school:
- Be accountable.
Set expectations with your kids, and set goals to be intentional about reducing screen time.
- Be realistic.
If your kids are spending a lot of leisure time on screens, including watching TV, start by setting smaller, more attainable goals. Instead of jumping right to the recommended one to two hours or less per day, start by cutting their current screen time in half.
- Be engaged.
After school or work, spend time each day talking face to face with kids and give them your full attention.
- Put hand-held devices away.
During screen-free hours, put devices away or at a charging station in a common area so they're not attracting your kids' attention.
- Create phone-free zones in the home.
Making family meal areas a phone-free zone is an easy way to start.
- Go outside.
Putting down the phone and taking a walk or playing outdoors increases your endorphins and provides that feeling of happiness in your brain, boosting your mood and improving your physical health.