- How can we make changes & create a healthy lifestyle for our children?
It is estimated that infants watch 2.5 hours per day of TV, children use 7.5 and teens 9 hours per day of entertainment technologies (cell phones, TV, Internet), while 39% of parents use 11 or more hours per day of screen media during their leisure time. The impact of screens on child development and family relationships is becoming evident in homes and schools throughout the country.
(http://movingtolearn.ca/2014/ten-reasons-why-hand-held-devices-should-be-banned-for-children-under-the-age-of-12)
First Step: RATE how much time your entire family spends on screens each day. (The MOMENT app is a great way to track this.) As adults are attaching more to their devices, we are detaching from our children. Are you being mindfully aware of your own usage and the lost chances to connect with your child? Once the rateof use is determined, look at how your child's usage compares to these ZONEIN.ca guidelines for a balanced life:
0-2 years: Rough and tumble interactions facilitate healthy child development NO tech usage; not even passive TV.
3- 5 years: Spend your time building strong social connections with your child through play. Try not to use technology to soothe, reward or babysit your child. No more than 1 hour of pro-social, educational tech per day- watched together.
5-12 years: Balance any pro-social tech usage with physical activity. Do not allow unsupervised viewing or transportable devices. 2 hours/day maximum.
13 -18 years: Introduce cellphones and Ipads. Unplug at dinner and at least one day per week. Do not allow use of multi-platform gaming (Violent video games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto are the most addictive technology out there). Research the content of games at ESRB.org. Continue to keep technology out of bedrooms or other isolated areas. Maximum use 2 hrs/day.
2nd Step: RESET by determining a time period to ‘unplug’ from all family technology. Disconnecting from technology, and reconnecting with family members, can be difficult if we aren't used to having much family time together. Start by having dinner together as a family, without technology.
3rd Step: REORDER by replacing time spent using technology with alternate activities. Technology kills a lot of time which could be filled with more healthy and inter-connected family activities. Make it a point to schedule alternative activities to do together or for your children to do with their friends. Perhaps suggest the adoption of family theme nights e.g. Monday – bake cookies night, Tuesday – board games night, Friday -- bowling night, etc.
4th Step: RULES-- agree upon rules that will support all family technology being unplugged for periods of time. Use this list of family contracts to get ideas about the boundaries you may want to set: https://mediatechparenting.ne
5th step: REACH OUT-- If your children display intense reactions to the change in tech usage, ask for help from a therapist to set boundaries together. Tracy Markle and Brett Kennedy from Digital Media Treatment Center in Boulder specialize in issues with digital use addiction. About 1 in 11 children from age 8 -18 are experiencing digital media addiction. Children with ADHD, depression, social anxiety, substance abuse, learning disabilities, and those on the Autism spectrum are at higher risk for developing tech addictions. Talk with other parents about how they are managing tech usage in their homes. There are lots of ideas about how to create balance in a digital world.
Additional articles and resources can be found at: https://sites.google.
Together, we can raise healthy children!
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