Tips to Manage Screen Time for Kids 

In the 21st century, screens are inevitable for kids. With the advent of coronavirus, online classes have become the norm. This means already our children need at least a few hours of screen time for just their classes. 

Few Tips to Help You Manage Screen Time for Kids

Make sure children keep in touch with their friends

Lockdown is prevalent due to coronaviruses, children have been stuck indoors and thus are less in contact with their friends. Remind them to call or have a video chat regularly. Help them keep a fairly regular contact with each of their friends and also cousins. This will ensure their social skills, adapt to the new normal.

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Encourage Physical Activity even in front of screens

Sign up children for online exercise classes or to play active games (games where they have to move).

Engagement on regulating screen time

Make clear rules beforehand about the duration and also the type of content that your children can watch. Fix a time on a regular basis to regulate your kids’ screen time and see what type of content he/she watches or plays. Remember to give them a fixed optional time that does not include school or school related work. 

Introduce to indoor activities 

Introduce the children to other activities available other than digital media that they can try out. Worksheets on puzzles, Logical/Analytical Reasoning Problems, activities like Sudoku, Origami, etc. can be interesting time pass activities.

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Don’t give your kids their own tablet and phone

Younger kids by all means should not be allowed to have a personal tablet or phone until they can manage their screen time. TV’s should not be allowed in children’s rooms.

Outdoor

Teach your kids to exercise and encourage them to play outdoor games, at least for 1 to 2 hours. Studies show that the children playing outdoors in the sunlight are at lesser chances of getting myopia.

Spend quality time with your children

This can be achieved by doing art together, going for long drives or even playing some indoor games. Organizing and cleaning up the household are good options too.

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Let children experience boredom

Don’t give children to see the videos just because they are bored. Suggest a few non digital activities that they can do instead. If they refuse, let them be bored. It’s okay for children to experience boredom. They will need to learn to find things that bring them joy and use their time wisely.

Encourage mindfulness in all activities

Make them practice, doing one thing at a time. Refrain from eating in front of the television. Instead, you can encourage meal times to be family time to bond. Even if anyone is having food alone, encourage them to enjoy and appreciate the meal without distraction. 

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Tips to take care of eyes:

• Eat food that aids, eye health.

For examples:

Include fish in your diet as it helps in curing dry eyes.

Nuts as they have a high amount of vitamin E that is essential to protect eyes from age-related problems.

Include carrots as they have vitamin A which is a main part of a protein that aids the retina

Leafy green vegetables as it is a high source of Vitamin C.

• Have frequent eye checkups to detect problems early. 
• Give regular rest to your eye. Follow the 20-20-20 rule while using computers. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Regularly do various exercises for the eyes.

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Enjoy the benefits of the internet ,but within limits. As the saying goes, anything in excess can be poisonous, even if it is an elixir.

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Ashraf Hameeda T