Smartphone usage among young ones has become a raging issue lately. It’s attributed to slow mental health development in children and adolescents. Hence, it’s important to educate the youth on the harmful effects of smartphone addiction and inculcate the right habits. To help, here are 5 tips that’ll aid in promoting healthy smartphone use among children.
Inspire what you want to see in your kids
Kids pick up from their surroundings, especially parents. If the environment is conducive of technology-aided entertainment, your child will rely more on entertainment coming from smartphones and iPads. Hence, avoid sticking to your phone and computers excessively. Play board games with your children or go out with them for an ice cream.
The dinner table should be for dinner only
My niece had a habit of watching YouTube videos while eating her meal on the dinner table. It’s quite annoying because her entire attention shifts to the video instead of the food. As a result, they are not able to take in the necessary nourishment and nutrients efficiently. Parents have to make the dinner table a strictly no-phone zone. This applies to the parents too.
Start the timer
Give your children a short countdown to put the phone away. If they’re still using the smartphone beyond the countdown, punish them fairly. This strategy works great on children who are prone to frequent meltdowns.
Restrict smartphone usage through apps
Apps are available on both Android and iOS that restrict smartphone usage beyond a particular time frame. It aids in controlling the amount of time your child devotes to smartphone entertainment. One of such apps is Qustodio Parental Control, which is available for free on the Google Play Store.
Control the content your children watch
It’s important to monitor the content your child watches. For that, there are several apps available that can block adult content on your child’s phone. Parental Control Kroha is an example that monitors photos taken, the location, and the videos your child watches on YouTube.
I hope the children listen to you. If they don’t, you always have the option to permanently take their smartphone away for good. Sounds harsh, but it’s better than raising a child that lacks real-world skills.
