Screen Time

As life settles down after the holidays, we take some time to get back into routine and refocus. As the weather is colder and we spend more time indoors it can be tempting to increase the time children spend in front of screen ( iPad, Video games, computers, phones….).

 

Technology is part of our lives and our children will grow up in a world that requires them to understand, use and deal with it in a constructive and positive way but it also needs to be monitored and introduced at the right time.

 

There is nothing more important than building relationships with children. Spending time talking, laughing, and playing games is the foundation of relationships and it is absolutely essential.

 

Children learn to self regulate and deal with quiet times, bored times and still times, by experiencing them, working through the feelings and successfully navigating the process. It is not always perfect, especially at the beginning, but with some practice and guidance they learn. If their only response to being bored is to access a screen they will never learn to self regulate during quiet times.

 

Flashy screens, entertaining characters that dance across the screen, high powered graphics are highly engaging and capture their attention… So do chocolate, ice cream and sugary treats

 

We know if our child was bored and we gave them a box of chocolate they would sit quietly and be completely entertained for a period of time. We wouldn’t do that because we know the price would be too high. The effect of the chocolate is too stimulating.

 

Many video games and electronic devices offer the same level of stimulation and young children can’t regulate themselves after viewing. It gets them overstimulated and they can’t calm themselves (Green zone).

 

I am a huge advocate for what technology can do for children but like all things there is a time and place for everything

 

I wanted to share a couple articles that give us all something to think about.