Written by: Jacob T. Smith
A year ago, no one planned on being stuck in their homes uprooting the norm of society in order to protect them and their loved ones. However, many have managed to adapt work, school, and even social gathering to a home environment, using video chat, articles, and videos. Computers have allowed many to continue their lives with work and education, but many have begun to worry that the increased screen time will have a negative effect, especially for young children. However, studies have provided mixed results on what technology has on children’s development. One such study, saw when a group of 5-6-year-olds played with digital flashcards and educational games, they had a low level of cognitive attainment afterwards, but if given proper instructions to the tasks on the devices, the children had high levels of interaction with them (Yilmaz, 2016). For young children, learning through technology is pretty new territory, as stated by Lilia Mcmanis in Young Children. A study showed that only half of surveyed preschool teachers integrate technology into their lesson plans, with a huge factor being that much of the required information is being hidden behind fees (Mcmanis, 2012). However, it doesn’t mean there are not good factors as well, with there being many low cost or even free websites, that can provide information for young children. The important thing is to find a good balance of screen exposure in your families’ life, which can vary.
Here are few tips which can be a good starting point:
(1) Set a schedule
Decide on a set time for screen time in the morning and evening, for a mix of education and recreational time. This is to prevent a dependence on screens for entertainment, diminishing their creativity and concentration. Also, make sure to uphold this schedule at a constant rate. While there will always be times where the schedule might not always work, so just do your best to limit exceptions. This will help to make sure that the benefit of a schedule is reduced due to the irregularity.
(2) Provide variety in activities
At the beginning of the day, sit down with your child and brainstorm what activities they would like to do today, writing or drawing pictures on a white board or piece of paper. Then place it someplace at their eye level. Once screen time is done, help to gather the necessary material for their activities and place them in a spot which they will be able to reach. If they would like to go outside for a bit or just want to talk, plan out some time, to avoid conflict with any other factors of daily life, such as work.
(3) Know where your children explore online
Do some research on a few websites that would be appropriate for children, with topics that they show interest in, or ones they specifically ask to go on. Once you find videos, activities, or games that you approve of, create a folder or playlist, which you child can explore during the free screen time. Make sure to check on them from now and then. Children are curious, occasionally wander from what you have looked into and this is fine, but occasionally there are misleading videos and sites that end up in the wrong section, so do your best to try to help them avoid these pitfalls.
(4) No screens during meal time
Eating together is a crucial bonding experience for families to come together, strengthening relationships. It also allows children to create pleasant experiences with certain healthy foods, making it easier for both parties so they are able to get the right amount and mixture of nutrients for a child’s development. Looking down at a screen, minimizes or even takes away these benefits. Make sure that all devices are turned off and away from the table, which also goes for guardians’ phones and computers as well. It’s important for role models to emulate this behavior and allow them to connect with their children face to face and not to the backside of a laptop.
(5) Take regular breaks
Eyes, just like any muscle, can get tired when in use. Staring at a bright screen for hours can be harmful to the eyes and the bluelight these devices produce can have a negative effect on a person’s mood and sleeping habits. Around every half to an hour on a device, you should stand up and stretch. It’s especially important for children, who are still developing. Sometimes they can be too engrossed with what they are doing, so make sure to check on them. Ask if they need to use the bathroom, get a drink, or simply just a breath of fresh air, reminding and not forcing, and even if they don’t, just take 5-10 minutes to stretch along with them.
(6) Spend Time Together
Humans are social creatures, and when we feel alone, we will try to find substitutes or distractions in its place. Everyone is busy with life and it can be a struggle to find time to come together without the constant pings from work, however this can be all a child needs; a ear to listen. Just with meals, help children make pleasant experiences away from a screen. Play games, go for a walk, or even just have a conversation with them. Even the smallest moments can make a difference for them and in turn, it can be easier for them to take a step back from technology on their own.
Once this situation comes to an end, we want to be able to come back to our norm, but some pieces will change. The importance of technology is included and it can be a challenge to tear away from it, but that’s why this paper was made. Not to demonize or praise technology, but simply make it easier to manage in a child’s life. So remember to take some time to break off from the small, bright screens and enjoy the world and people around, creating memories with your child. Stay safe.
References
Mcmanis, L. D., & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology with early learners. Young Children, 67(3), 14–24.
Yilmaz, R. M. (2016). Educational magic toys developed with augmented reality technology for early childhood education. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 240–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.040