How To Limit Technology With Your Kids

There aren’t many households now that don’t have some sort of technology in them and it’s becoming harder and harder to stop our kids accessing them.

Do you worry that your children are spending too much time on their gadgets? It’s all too easy to become lenient when it comes to screen time and we’re all guilty of it at times, but what is the answer? Here are a few pointers to help you navigate this modern minefield..

Set some boundaries

A good way is to try and get some ground rules in place and set some boundaries for everyone to stick to. Having set times for technology throughout the day can help them understand that there are rules to abide by. 

Perhaps consider rewarding screen time after homework has been completed or when they have done a period of reading. If they see that there are incentives to working, then they might be more inclined to be proactive with learning.

Strike a balance

We all know that technology is here to stay and in many ways, is a very positive aspect in our lives. It does, however, need to be used in moderation. Kids learn so much from what they read online and there are so many useful resources out there to enrich their lives and 

If they see that technology is not their only entertainment, then they will appreciate it more when they use it and hopefully find a love for non tech activities. Kids forget to use their imaginations and it’s amazing to see what they can create when they go ‘back to basics’ and lose the gadgets and screens. It’s refreshing to see.

Have technology ‘downtimes’

If you find that your children are misbehaving or not able to concentrate normally, then it’s usually a good idea to have a break from the screens. It often won’t go down very well and especially so with teenagers, but a clean break is what they need. 

It’s a great opportunity for them to rediscover activities that they may have long forgotten about, such as reading, drawing, writing or crafting.

You’re their role model

If we constantly have our heads stuck in our laptops and our phones in our hands, how can we expect our children to act any differently? It’s often learnt behaviour that moulds our children and if we as parents are doing it, then it’s what they see as the norm. If you feel guilty about the amount of time you spend on your mobile phone, then think twice and set it aside when around your family.

Use technology as a family

Rather than keep everything separate and where everyone is doing their own thing on different gadgets, make the time to share time as a family. Spend some time looking at what videos and games they’re viewing. Perhaps join in with some gaming, so that you can get familiar with what they’re playing and understand what makes them tick. You’ll benefit by bonding together and you’ll have a better insight into what goes on in their online world. Interbyte has a wealth of computers and tablets to choose from, making it easy to stay connected as a family.