TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME
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| Wood Shop Omaha Childrens Musuem |
So, I was up last night reading an article on kids and
screen time. They article said screen time mentally has some of the same
effects as cocaine users. I thought, man that’s crazy but I could totally see
what they are getting at. Like when I take my son iPad from him rather it’s
because it’s bedtime or because I prefer him to work on his writing skills, he
always seems to have a complete melt down over it. Than he always asks when he can get like
there isn’t anything else for him to do and when he doesn’t get it he cries
about it, which only makes him lose it for days. I have noticed the difference
in his attitude when he has gone a whole month without it vs. a whole month of
having it. His behavior is a lot better when he doesn’t have and it’s the same
for the tv to. My husband has seen him completely zone out like he is staring
at his iPad except there is nothing in his hands. It’s scary to think that
maybe this device actually plays a part in his behavior. We went a long time
with him not having a tv and only having about an hr. of access to his iPad,
but now and days with this job that my husband and I work, it’s so much easier
to just send off with it so that we can focus on the work stuff. Than before
you know it one hr. becomes 7 or until his iPad die. My kids are pretty active
but when winter and spring hits it doesn’t really give them much to do, so
right away we turn to tv and the iPad. I’m not okay with us living like that so
we have to work hard to make sure our babies aren’t living through devices. We
were also struggling with trying to find other things to do with our kids that
are out of the normal go to the park or bike ride routine. We’ve decided to only let our 5-year-old get
1 hr. of screen time a day. So, he can do 30 min split with 30 being iPad time and
then favorite episode. Our 3-year-old would be 45 min with 30 being favorite tv
episode and 15 iPad time. This would be a part of their weekday schedule. On
the week would really be dependent on what we’re doing. I also found this
website that my husband and I were thinking about subscribing to it’s called
kiwicrate.com. The site provides ae appropriate
STEM projects every month that you can do with your child. I will post the link
below! Anyhow with all that being said, our goal is to make sure our kids aren’t
hooked on devices. We want them to have regular childhood like playing sport,
hanging out with friend s and so forth and in order for them to have that we
have to start it with us first. Although our children are going to make their
own decisions when they become adults, that fact of the matter is that we set
the foundation for them. We are the ones that teach them morals and values
through our action and not just our words. If we don’t teach then the world
will and that isn’t a pretty picture. So, I challenge all parents to cut down
on some of their screen time, get them in sports or after school activities.
Take them to the gym with you and do some swimming or something but let’s not
get comfortable with technology being THE WAY. I will post up videos and
pictures after we get our first project from kiwicrate.com. Below will be some
links and videos!!! Enjoy, stay peaceful and much love!! I will talk to yawl
next week!!!!Article on Screen Time: http://nypost.com/2016/08/27/its-digital-heroin-how-screens-turn-kids-into-psychotic-junkies/
Helpful Parenting Tips on Screen Time:
http://www.boystown.org/parenting/guides/Pages/digital-age.asp
A seminar from Boys Towns about screen time!
https://vimeo.com/52643371
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