In this article, we talk about some of the most effective techniques to limit screen time for kids which when applied consistently will most definitely produce remarkable results.

Excessive screen time has become a big cause for worry for most parents, and rightfully so. In a world where smartphones have become a basic necessity, it is critical to keep a check on how much time our children spend on these devices, and for what purpose. That being said, it is going to take a considerable amount of effort on the parents’ part to successfully limit screen time for kids. You’re going to have to be patient, understanding, and willing to dive into the world of technology. Constancy of effort will play a huge role in this endeavour, but the subsequent outcome that you’ll generate will be genuinely pleasing.

It is interesting how easily kids get addicted to screens, be it smartphones, laptops, desktops, video games, etc. In fact, not just kids, but teenagers and adults too. And this makes unregulated exposure to different kinds of screens extremely dangerous. Fortunately, there are numerous simple techniques that you can follow in order to exercise meaningful control on your children’s screen usage habits.

Before we proceed, let us first understand what makes different types of screens so damagingly addictive anyway? One word: dopamine. That’s right. It all comes down to this nasty little hormone once again. All our engagements over social media platforms promote the secretion of dopamine in our system. Be it text messages from a person of interest, or likes and comments on a recently uploaded picture, or victory in an online video game, they all lead to increased dopamine levels, which make kids susceptible to becoming a slave to these habits. And with each spike that is observed, the craving only gets stronger, while the will to break free diminishes.

In addition, video games, TV series, movies, etc. serve as the perfect escape from reality. Growing up can be a tiring process. The transition to teenage years can be especially chaotic for most children. There is a sudden upheaval of all kinds of complex hormones in their bodies. Not to mention the increasing burden of academic performance combined with uncalled for episodes of bullying by peers and scolding by teachers. All this pushes children to find an alternate reality where they can feel safe. 

If parents can find a way to tackle these primary causes of screen addiction, they will succeed in improving the quality of life of their children by immeasurable leaps. It’s crucial to understand the actual root of the problem before we set out to do away with it. This is why, we thought it would be a good idea to explain to you, what leads to screen addiction in the first place. Moving on, here are a few easy to implement techniques for you to flourishingly limit screen time for kids. 

Become a role model

This is the first way to limit screen time for kids. As their mentors, it becomes your solemn responsibility to lead by setting the right example for them. Children are excellent observers. This is why modelling the correct behavior in front of your young ones becomes extremely crucial. That being said, it is probably one of the easiest ways to make them learn anything.

For this, you will have to cut short on your own screen time and portray to them that it is indeed possible to have an enjoyable time without spending hours being glued to the idiot box. You will also have to get rid of the habit of keeping the television on just to fill the silence. Activities like scrolling through Instagram and YouTube videos, or exploring old pictures and clips, or even texting meaninglessly over WhatsApp will have to be made history. Creating a schedule for yourself can prove to be of great help so that you can keep yourself occupied with productive activities. 

Become tech-savvy parents

This is the second way to limit screen time for kids. The world has been advancing at the speed of light. There’s new technology getting introduced every other day, and unfortunately, most adults have been having a hard time keeping up with it. Children, on the other hand, tend to stay ahead in this regard. They make it a point to update themselves about any and every new innovation that enters the market out of their sheer curiosity for the same. Let’s face it, kids these days are being born in a world where technology is all they see.

Parents need to put in a dedicated effort towards learning the ways of this new-age world. You will never be able to educate your children about the dark side of the virtual world unless you get to know about it first. Think about it this way. The only reason you are able to guide them so effectively about the physical world is that you have experienced it yourself. You are fully aware of everything that can go wrong out there, and hence are capable of giving sound advice that proves to be exceedingly beneficial for kids.

The same is applicable to the virtual realm as well. There is a plethora of negative content on the internet that can irreparably ruin your children’s lives. From pornography, to self-injurious games like the Blue Whale Challenge, to frauds and online theft, the list goes on and on. In practical view, the world isn’t going back in time. It’s only going to move forward. That means, there will be new technology getting launched indefinitely. This leaves parents with only one option to pick from, and that’s doing everything in their power to learn about upcoming technological advancements, and then teaching kids about the pros and cons of the same.

Have two-way discussions

This is the third way to limit screen time for kids. It is very easy to set strict rules of engagement for your young ones. But this will only earn you unexpected rebellion and disobedience. It is always better to treat your children as mature individuals. This gives them an opportunity to prove to you that they can make good decisions for themselves without you imposing unnecessary restrictions on them. 

An even better approach would be to talk to them as a friend. It is very important that your children feel confident enough to trust you with the truth. And they will never do so if they think telling the truth will lead to you grounding them for a month without even listening to their side of the story. Therefore, we greatly encourage the concept of having two-way discussions with your kids. Two-way conversations allow you to understand how the other person feels in any given situation, the latter being your own offspring in this case. So you can very well gauge how efficient this can prove to be.

Once you get into the habit of holding deep conversational sessions, you can use it to your own advantage to express your opinion on the harmful effects of excessive screen time. And your children will most definitely understand and make adjustments to their behavior because they will no longer see your words as stringent impositions but as helpful suggestions.

Further, when you do want your children to act in a certain way, or adopt a particular habit, we recommend explaining in appreciable detail as to why you’re asking them to do the same. Tell them about how it will be favorable for them in the long term. And always remember to be gentle and patient with them. Anything that can be said in a polite manner must be said in a polite manner. There will be times when you will have to put your foot down. But mostly, a loving approach will turn out to be the more fruitful one.

Hold in-the-moment sessions

This is the fourth way to limit screen time for kids. In this, all you have to do is lay down some ground rules for prohibiting the use of screens while carrying out certain activities at home. If you have children who are very young, inculcating this habit will prove to be a marvel in the years to come. If you have children who are in their adolescence, you may have to talk to them about the new changes first so as to eliminate any unwanted retaliation from their side. 

For ex. You could create a “no phones and television during eating” rule wherein all available electronic gadgets will have to be put away while having meals. You could combine this with the practice of saying grace, and even teach your kids about the advantages of staying in the moment during important activities like eating. While we’re at it, another good rule to introduce would be the ‘no distractions while studying’ rule. As the name suggests, this too shall involve putting away of all available electronic gadgets so that children can study with improved focus and concentration.

Once again, just to reiterate, it will be better to explain the benefits of introducing these rules before actually enforcing them. Give your children some time to understand how this will help them to grow as an individual. You could even set aside one or two hours for spending screen-free quality time with each other. This will allow you to bolster your bond, and as a parent, you will get to know your children in a way you’ve never done before.

Keep them occupied

This is the fifth way to limit screen time for kids. As mentioned before, creating a schedule can prove to be extremely useful for keeping busy with meaningful activities. You can help your children set a routine for themselves in a manner so as to include more offline activities like reading, writing, singing, meditation, sports, etc. 

It may take some time for your kids to become accustomed to indulging in offline activities. However, very soon they’ll find themselves feeling much more organized and accomplished than ever before. With a pre-established time and duration for each chore, they will inevitably start working in a more productive manner and set and achieve better goals for themselves. You could also schedule periodic family game nights sporting collective participation in order to add some fun element to this practice. As mentioned before, the most effective way to make your children follow a set routine is to lead by example. It’ll be a good idea to create a schedule for yourself before preparing one for your children, and then share and speak from your own experience as to how beneficial following a pre-planned routine can be.

Embrace the positive side of technology

This is the sixth way to limit screen time for kids. The truth is, you will never be able to completely eliminate the presence of screens from your children’s lives. Neither will you be able to restrict the latter’s usage to your heart’s content. The world is changing rapidly and the most sensible thing to do in this situation would be to make your peace with it and try to keep up with the unprecedented level of advancements.

What this essentially means is this: technology has condensed and brought everything there is to know about everything that exists at the touch of our fingertips. This can prove to be extremely powerful, provided we learn to exploit this opportunity in our favor. For this, you will have to guide your children in a way that will push them to avail the benefits of technology so as to become successful in their fields of interest.

For ex. Social media is an excellent way to create strong meaningful connections with physically distant people. Teaching your children how to use different social media platforms for reaching and getting acquainted with the right kind of crowd can work wonders for their professional growth.

Conclusion

The most important thing to remember when trying to limit screen time for kids is that you will not be able to completely eliminate the use of smartphones, laptops, etc. But you can teach your children to use the same in a productive manner in order to avail maximum benefit. Share this article if you think there’s someone in your circle of impact who can benefit from reading this.

Resources

We have added links for purchasing books that we believe you may find useful while applying the above mentioned strategies for limiting screen time for kids. If you’ll use the provided links for your purchases, we’ll receive a small commission which will help us to continue publishing free quality content for you.

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