Being a parent has to be one of the hardest and most demanding jobs, which has only gotten harder since the boom of the technology and digital age. Everyone has been touched by technology, but there are drawbacks, particularly for children, who are more likely to become aggressive, be exposed to mature content, have shorter attention spans, and more.
Since screens are so common, it can be difficult for parents to monitor their children and prevent them from using them. However, several techniques can be used to regulate what content children see, including
1. Parental influence – Children learn from actions more than words. Parents may influence a child’s attitude toward technology by modeling good screen habits, being genuinely present, and spending meaningful time with them.
Let’s understand this better, if parents spend all their time on phones the child will mirror that behavior.
Yes, it is true. The likelihood, degree, and style to which children participate in particular activities can all be influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of the parents. In other words, parents are crucial role models for their children and can greatly influence their views and actions toward different hobbies and pastimes
Further numerous studies have provided solid evidence that the media consumption and attitudes of parents regarding technology are important indicators of the media and technology habits of their young children of their parents toward such activities.
2. Screen time management – Setting aside a certain amount of time each day for children to watch a screen, such as predetermined hours, will help parents monitor their online activity and prevent them from spending the entire day in front of a screen. The golden rule: 1 hour of television time per day, post lunch.
3. Online safety – Teaching children about the dangers of digital media, like cyberbullying, checking information from reliable sources, online frauds, etc, these have become common and many small children end up being victims as they are naive and have a trusting nature.
Let’s understand this aspect a little in detail. Warning children not to share personal information online.
It is just not as simple as talking to your children. One critical aspect is to understand how they might feel about sharing what they’re doing online with their parents. There could be a variety of feelings that children may have, including:
- Uneasiness or humiliation over what they said on the internet.
- Feeling afraid or ashamed of what they have seen or done.
- Annoyance or perplexity when they don’t grasp something.
- Happiness from getting likes or following on their posts, which validates what they’ve posted.
Thus it is important to understand these emotions before parents talk to their children so as to communicate effectively with them.
4. Outdoor activities – Motivating children with physical activities so they spend less time inside and more time playing outside, and playing sports also helps them develop friendships and hobbies and makes them learn the importance of face to face-to-face interaction.
Multiple benefits of playing or picking up outdoor sports:
- First of all, playing outside fosters the development of sophisticated motor abilities in children. Additionally, it reduces body bulk and promotes greater overall health, which includes stronger muscles, a stronger immune system, and happier moods.
- Moreover, playing outside fosters a variety of positive social outcomes, such as improved peer connections, increased self-awareness, and an appreciation of the natural world.
- Children benefit physically and develop stronger emotional and intellectual resilience when they spend more time outside and away from electronics.
5. Parental supervision – Parents need to keep an eye on what their children have access to and install child protection on their gadgets to prevent them from visiting dubious websites. Unsuitable content is easily accessible these days, so they need to be aware of what their children are consuming..
Recently Meta has launched family tools for parents that help safeguard children which include features such as –
- Reduce the amount of time your child spends on Instagram – Assists children in controlling the amount of time they spend on the platform by establishing screen time restrictions and setting breaks throughout the day and week.
- See the accounts that their children follow and let you know who your children communicate with on Instagram in real time.
- Receive alerts when their teenager reports someone. If their child reports something on Instagram, they have the option to let you know so you can discuss it together.
6. Age restriction – Don’t give children a personal gadget until they are old enough; otherwise, they will become addicted early on and may experience delayed emotional development as they become older.
These are just a few tips that parents can follow to monitor their children in the digital age but above all the most important has to be building a healthy relationship with children so they trust you and come to you for questions rather than the internet. Spend time with your children and provide them with a nurturing environment that helps them understand face-to-face communication in the digital world.
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