There is no second opinion about the fact that there has been an evident increase in our screen time post pandemic. However, the screen time for children has increased much more since COVID. A recent survey has revealed that the screen time of children have drastically increased by 52% between 2020 and 2022. The rise is mostly for children between 12-18 years.
With technology becoming a part and parcel of our lives, it is difficult for parents to cut down on children’s screen time as they rely upon electronic gadgets for almost everything, way more than before. So, rather than completely cutting down on screen time, teaching children mindful utilisation of their time is important.
Try spending more time with kids doing activities like art, gardening or playing games, which do not include electronic gadgets. Make sure they do not watch or read something triggering or sensitive before going to bed. Reading out a happy story is rather a great idea for them to have a sound sleep.
Keep a check on your child’s time spent on a device and also make sure they share the time with elders, siblings or friends. Technology is an inevitable part of our lives but how we help children manage screentime is our duty as adults.
Also watch: Parks over gadgets! Here's why kids need to spend time with nature