Category: Tips

If you are a parent or a guardian of a young child, you are probably all too familiar with this scenario:

I have a two year old godson who LOVES his iPad. He watches, what I think is nonsensical, clips on YouTube when no one can watch him and/or when he needs to sit down during meal time. The image above is a fine representation of what happens when it is time to put the iPad away.

I was inspired to find technology tips for parents and guardians of young children, hoping I could help my aunt save my godson. This is what I discovered and found to be helpful:

DO

Use technology for communication. For example, FaceTime or Skype with Grandma.

Model using technology as a tool. Take photos with your smartphone or iPad. Watch a short video of a volcano erupting, if your child shows an interest. Use the calculator to add. Use the magnifying app to examine nature. Listen to music on an iPod. Use the online dictionary to spell or find the meaning of words. Technology is an everyday tool.

Be a good role model for using screens in a purposeful way. As this great article points out, explaining to children what you are doing when you pick up a device is a great way to show that quality interactions are purposeful, versus aimless browsing and scrolling. For example, I can say “Let’s take a picture of your structure and post it on your blog so your parents can see what you built”. Doing this lets students know that there is a purposeful reason for being online.

Be involved. Resist the temptation to routinely use technology as a babysitter, and instead use it as a way to connect with your child. If you are reading a book on an e-reader, read together. Write emails together. Play games together. Look at science video clips together.

Make sure your child is getting hands-on play experiences daily. Before you buy an iPad or other technology for your three- to five-year-old, make sure he/she already enjoys building with blocks, creating artwork, reading books, engaging in dramatic play, and playing board games. And remember to provide plenty of playtime outside. Make real-world experiences the priority.

Create boundaries. Like a previous generation’s creation of boundaries around watching television, you need to decide what is desirable for your child in terms of screen time, whether television, movies, computer, tablet, or mobile phone. Is it thirty minutes a day or a week? I came across a blog of a mother who has her children earn screen time minutes. One minute of reading a book, doing a household chore etc. equates to one minute of screen time.

Set clear, consistent limits that young children can understand. Be clear about days, limits, and situations that warrant exceptions. For example, twenty minutes of screen time on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with exceptions for family vacations, traveling, and even sick days. Stick to it and make it fun. If your kid asks for screen time on an “off” day, remind them of the next time they get screen time. Ask them to tell you what cool thing they did during their last session.

Be a critic for your child’s sake. If you decide on screen time, preview what they view and watch with your child to help him/her process what he/she sees. Consider the value of the apps you choose—are they active and do they promote creativity, innovation, and problem solving? Use the apps together so you can make a good decision. Make intentional choices.

Model healthy behaviors yourself. It is time to look in the mirror. Do you watch hours of television or movies each night? Is the television turned on in the background, even when no one is watching? Do you have your mobile phone at the dinner table? Do you play games online in the middle of the night? Consider what your technology use models for your child. Your child learns from you.

The key to finding time for yourself while your child engages in fun and productive ways online is common sense and balance.

DON’T

DON’T Engage with a device while you engage with your family. Another tip? Avoid engaging with your device while your child is engaging with you. Instead, put your phone down and purposefully say, “Let me put my phone down so that I can pay attention to what you are saying.’ It might sound a little contrived but it works. You are signaling to your child that the device does not compete for their attention and that people are more important than phones, no matter how enticing. If you do that when they are young, you may not have to fight for their attention when they are older and have devices of their own.

DON’T Let technology get in the way. Family meals are a great time for conversation, catching up on the day, and developing relationships. Car rides are a great time for talking, singing, and playing games like I Spy. Cooking together not only supports relationships but also engages your child in using math and literacy skills. Consider whether technology is getting in the way of precious family time together.

DON’T use screens as an “emotional pacifier”. Young children need to learn how to deal with frustration, failure and conflict. Unfortunately, these three things are incredibly hard to deal with for parents. It is incredibly tempting to shove the screen in front of your kids to prevent them from whining, fighting, or to soothe them. While understandable, try to avoid this. Giving your kids screens in this way deprives them of learning important socio-emotional skills.

DO your homework. Not all apps are created equal. There are apps by Papumba and Toca Boca that make sure everything they create is research-based and educator-approved. They believe in creating the best, most developmentally appropriate education apps to help kids thrive and learn. There are lots of high-quality apps out there (and some that are not so good, unfortunately). So before you set the screen in front of your child, make sure you research the apps they are using to make sure their digital experience is safe, high-quality, and age-appropriate.