Nowadays, kids have exposure to various internet-enabled gadgets like computers, tablets, and mobile phones. Although the devices have enormous benefits, such as facilitating online education and research, they can also expose the kids to content that may be unfit for their young minds.
In addition to access to the devices and the internet, parents have also become overly busy. And other parents have neglected their parental duties altogether. Luckily, there are many beneficial things that kids can engage in and learn useful life lessons, like taking them to liz camp to have fun and socialize with other children.
Here are some tips on how parents can effectively take care of their kids in this digital age:
Ensuring Screen Time Is Not Always Alone Time
Most of the time, parents treat their kids’ screen time as a time to let the little ones have their alone time. Although the children can be left alone to watch selected content sometimes, it would be best for parents and guardians to co-view with them while engaging and playing with them so they are aware of what the kids are watching or listening to. Besides monitoring, the act of watching and listening to things with kids help to create bonds and allows them to learn better social skills.
Avoiding Using Gadgets and Media as Pacifiers
Although devices like phones can be so effective for calming down the little ones, it would be best to get better ways of pacifying them than giving them gadgets or letting them use various media. Those caring for the kids must teach them how to handle boredom in healthy ways.
It would also help to teach them how to handle strong emotions in harmless ways, and how to solve problems by talking about them with responsible people. Also, the guardians need to guide the little ones on how to channel their excess energy into creative and useful activities like games and sports.
Creating Tech-Free Times and Zones
Since it is hard to avoid using gadgets or getting eyes off the screens, the parents have to create tech-free spaces and sessions. For example, family mealtimes, social gatherings, and bedtimes should be free of any interference from devices like smartphones, tablets, and TVs.
It would also be crucial to have no screens in the kids’ bedrooms and that means not having a TV there and not allowing the use of handheld devices in such rooms. Parents and those in charge of the little ones can charge the gadgets in other rooms and overnight to avoid the kids using them when they should be asleep.