Dear Savvy Cyber Kids,
Between remote learning, gaming, social media, and communicating with friends, I feel like my kids are spending all of their time in front of a screen. I have heard that too much screentime is bad for my kids. Is all screen time the same?
Thank you so much for your question!
All screen time is not the same. You can break screentime down into two basic categories—active (creating – gaming, learning, producing videos, etc.) and passive (watching videos or scrolling through social media). Our kids (and us as parents) switch between the two all day long.
What we need to be concerned about with regard to screen time is ensuring our kids do not develop an addiction to technology. Some signs that you child may have an addiction to technology include skipping meals, staying up later and later, diminishing personal hygiene, the way they talk to you and how they express themselves to others.
All of our brains and bodies can benefit from a break from screens every now and then. Make sure you are helping your children have a positive relationship with their technology by modeling what that looks like. Are you exercising everyday? Are you spending any of your down time NOT on your phone or tablet?
Need an idea for a fun family activity that doesn’t involve screens? Try a board game or a card game!
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