As a parent, you don't always have time to keep an eye on your kids. And moms may have eyes in the back of their minds… but they also have a busy schedule. And sometimes need to relax. It's nice when the kids are busy. Be honest; Do you sometimes 'park' them behind one or the other screen? Like a TV, tablet or smartphone? Then you are not alone. Keeping children busy with tablet use is happening all the time. And what does it turn out to be? Many a parent sometimes feels guilty about it.
How are you doing? There are probably few households left where there are no screens hanging, lying or standing. We, parents, can also benefit from it. So our kids don't learn it from a stranger. But still, many moms and dads seem to have a bit of trouble keeping children busy for a while with tablet use. You can read more about it here.
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Kids and screen time; everything has already been said about it. You probably already knew that it is not recommended just before going to sleep. And that children (just like adults) can suffer from a tablet neck is no longer news either. But did you know that excessive tablet use can lead to nearsightedness in children?
So it's not completely harmless, all that screen time. Most parents therefore want to protect their children against excessive tablet, smartphone and computer use. How are you doing? Have you made any arrangements at home about the children's screen time? And, quite honestly:do those agreements also apply to mom and dad?
While most parents recognize the dangers of too much screen time for their kids, it's easy too. This is now apparent from a study. Almost half of the parents (48%) indicate that keeping children busy with tablet use actually provides them with a moment of relaxation. And indeed, then you can do something for yourself. Or, for example, go have a bite to eat with the family in a restaurant fairly quietly.
So quite handy, that piece of kids entertainment. All you need is a screen 😉 . Yet it is not that simple. Because the same research shows that 4 out of 10 parents sometimes feel guilty. Precisely because of the screen time they give their children. Does that also bother you?
In the age of 0 to 6 years, children watch an average of one and a half hours a day at a screen. This can be a tablet, but also a television or smartphone. You are quite shocked by the tablet use among children. Most screen use by kids takes place around dinner. Can mom and dad prepare the food in peace? Recognizable? Here it is. Also striking:no less than 23% of parents let their children enjoy their screen time just before going to bed. Nice and quiet for the parents perhaps, but not the best choice for children's sleep.
It is also easy to see that tablet use keeps children busy. And not so dramatic. But make sure that screen time is limited. Without clear agreements, your child will be able to watch or play games for hours. Explain why that is not the intention. And play an old-fashioned game together. You will see that that can also be surprisingly relaxing.
Not only children, adults can also enjoy it. That's probably not news to you either. How much screen time do we actually give ourselves? According to the aforementioned research, we watch an average of one and a half hours of TV a day. We also look at our phone for about an hour. In addition, we spend an average of an hour behind our laptop and PC. In other words; maybe we shouldn't just try to limit our kids' media use…
