During the summer break, it is highly likely that you and
your children went slightly overboard with the screen time. There is nothing to
sweat about, research published by Forbes
has revealed that during the summer break most of the kids watch way more
Television than usual, spend long hours playing video games, engage in web
browsing and watch endless movies, however it is not completely bad for kids.
As the time to get back to school is here, parents rush to
find premium quality school supplies for their teenagers. They often look for exciting
deals on school supplies on online marketplaces like Kaymu or other sites like HalloMall that offer cheap bags and other
school accessories. Once parents get all the supplies in place, another issue
starts to bother them, how to re-establish the limit on the amount of screen
time the kids are allowed once the school reopens.
There is nothing to worry about, follow these strategies to
prepare your teens for school and enforce limits on the screen time from TV to
video games to dreaded tablet computers:
One last blast before
the school starts:
The best way to bring the rules is to plan a whole day with
unlimited screen time for kids and you. Make it fun, cook an exciting meal and
involve the whole family. You can either plan a day where you watch back to
back movies with the teens, or challenge them in a video game marathon or
stream their favorite shows and watch them together as a family.
This will be a fun way to bid farewell to those long
holidays and its routine and a signal to your teenagers that now they will have
a very limited screen time.
Communication is the
key:
The best way to bring back the old rules is by communicating
effectively with the kids as it prepares them ahead of time. Before the school
year begins, it is a good idea to give your kids the ‘talk’ about how their
routine will change once the school commences. Inculcate the idea of balance in
them, that once the school begins they are supposed to balance a range of
activities including studying, spending time with family and playing video
games and watching television.
Start reducing the
screen time before the school commences:
In order to settle your kids down in their old routine, it
is a good idea to start implementing the rules a week before the school begins.
Start enforcing the bedtime, make them
switch off the video games, TV or any other electronic device before they get
ready to hit the bed.
The most important advice is that rules do not only apply to
the kids, but you should also follow them. Parents are the most influential
role models according to the renowned researcher Karen
Stephens, so if your kids see you sneaking the smartphone to bed or playing
video games late at night, they will also breach the rules. Be the role model
so your kids can follow in your footsteps and adopt healthy habits.
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