The Good
Technology is a wonderful way to engage young minds and supplement learning. Games, shows, and videos are stimulating and captivating! YouTube has taught my family how to fix a myriad of household troubles as well as entertained our family with silly videos and shows. Visual learning is a primary form of intaking and processing information and technology allows us to do this in exciting and ever-changing ways.
The Boundary
But how do we know when to utilize screen time and when we are doing more harm than good? As parents, how to we develop, communicate and uphold technological limits with our children?
- Be aware. Parents the ‘information superhighway’ is just that. A super amount of information. Much of that information is incorrect and highly inappropriate. It is also very easily accessible. Be an active and regular participant in the games, videos, and sites your children visit.
- Set time limits. Technology is beginning to take priority over relationship in some cases. This can be devastating emotionally and have long term psychological effects. Each child and family will have individual needs and preferences but the average recommendation for children is less than two hours of screen time a day. In my family, I focus less on the specific amount of screen time and more on ways to engage as a family. Our favorite way to play together is to do anything outdoors! We also have fun cooking, reading, painting, and doing imaginative play together.
We lead busy lives and technology can be a fun and helpful resource if we learn to create boundaries that support its use. I know as a parent myself that this can be a challenging facet of raising a family. I would love to talk with you more about this and help you determine what the best plan for your family may be.
Please call [940-222-8703 ext 701] or email anytime!
Ashley Barkley