Hold Off As Long As You Can
Electronics, video game systems, cell
Hold Off As Long As You Can
Electronics, video game systems, cell phones, computers, all of them can be a significant distraction, if there’s no real necessity for them why not hold off? The longer you can hold off from having these gaming gadgets the better. Of course, there are always age-appropriate games that can be played on them, but once they are in the house, they are something extra that needs to be managed. Less gadgets = less to operate.
Technology Time
Is the tech in your house taking over to much time? Everything mentioned above should be included for technology time. After all the kids have had their dinner, bath, and completed their homework, then they can have some technology time. Except computers for homework and maybe iPods for music, children require disconnection from electricity in order to focus on their responsibilities.
Having a specific time each day for technology is particularly helpful for younger children. It prevents the “can I go on the computer now” or “can I watch TV” nag that can happen throughout the day if they are not sure when they might get access to it. If they know when their technology time is – for example, it may be after lunch or after dinner – then they don’t have to ask because they know it is coming up.
There are family systems where kids have no technology during the school week but can use technology as much as they like on weekends. Try testing out a few different ways of using set technology times and see what works for your family.
Set Time Limits
Different time limits depending on the age of the children can also help keep a reliable and organized system. The American Academy of Pediatrics current stance on technology is as follows:
“Until more research is done about the effects of screen time on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages television viewing for children ages two years old or younger, and encourages interactive play. For older children, the Academy advises no more than one to two hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs, which should be supervised by parents or other responsible adults in the home.”
Consistency is the key in making it work. Kids respond best when they know how much they can watch.
Set Up A Schedule
Technology can be a major source of fighting between children. Who gets to use it, what they play or watch, who puts it away when finished etc etc etc!
Rosters will allocate who has the choice for each day. The child who is listed for that day gets to choose whether they want to do TV, computer, or Wii. If they choose TV, they also choose the show. The other children then have to agree with what they will do.
Technology Free Day
When creating a roster, always allocate one day in the week where there is no technology. It is also a matter of logistics too!
Technology is fun and can add educational value to kids lives. By being proactive in managing what they use and how much they use it, we have been able to escape the potential negative impacts that can occur from too much technology.
, computers, all of them can be a major distraction, if there’s no real necessity for them why not hold off? The longer you can hold off from having these gaming gadgets the better. Of course there are always age-appropriate games that can be played on them, but once they are in the house, they are something extra that needs to be managed. Less gadgets = less to manage.
Technology Time
Is the tech in your house taking over to much time? Everything mentioned above should be included for technology time. After all the kids have had their dinner, bath and completed their homework, then they can have some technology time. With the exception of computers for homework and maybe iPods for music, children require disconnection from electricity in order to focus on their responsibilities.
Having a specific time each day for technology is particularly helpful for younger children. It prevents the “can I go on the computer now” or “can I watch TV” nag that can happen throughout the day if they are not sure when they might get access to it. If they know when their technology time is – for example it may be after lunch or after dinner – then they don’t have to ask because they know it is coming up.
There are family systems where kids have no technology during the school week, but can use technology as much as they like on weekends. Try testing out a few different ways of using set technology times and see what works for your family.
Set Time Limits
Different time limits depending on the age of the children can also help keep a solid and organized system. The American Academy of Pediatrics current stance on technology is as follows:
“Until more research is done about the effects of screen time on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages television viewing for children ages two years old or younger, and encourages interactive play. For older children, the Academy advises no more than one to two hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs, which should be supervised by parents or other responsible adults in the home.”
Consistency is the key in making it work. Kids respond best when they know how much they can watch.
Set Up A Schedule
Technology can be a major source of fighting between children. Who gets to use it, what they play or watch, who puts it away when finished etc etc etc!
Rosters will allocate who has the choice for each day. The child who is listed for that day gets to choose whether they want to do TV, computer or Wii. If they choose TV they also choose the show. The other children then have to come to agreement on what they will do.
Technology Free Day
When creating a roster, always allocate one day in the week where there is no technology. It is also a matter of logistics too!
Technology is fun and can add educational value to kids lives. By being proactive in managing what they use and how much they use it, we have been able to escape the potential negative impacts that can occur from too much technology.