Here’s how parents should manage screen time conflicts

Regardless of how well-prepared or organized you typically are, parenting comes with its own set of anxieties and exhaustion. The difficulties of parenting have substantially grown, especially as digitalization has gained ground. Today's children are even more drawn to screens, and parents are always fighting to keep them off of them. Social media has become another matter of concern for parents as children have lately become addicted to these platforms. All of this has a significant impact on children since the type of content they are exposed to affects their behavior and actions as well as their overall health and well-being.

Gaming is one of the largest & budding industries in the entertainment business and we are passive consumers of such persuasive technologies. Recently, a social-emotional learning platform- MyPeegu, conducted a survey and found that over 61% of parents are concerned about their children's screen time. “Just as a balanced meal is essential for developing children, a balanced digital diet ensures that children receive the best of both worlds,” says Chetan Jaiswal, parenting expert, Founder, My Peegu.

Parents must think of creative solutions to limit their children's screen time. Taking away their device is no longer beneficial. Using screen time as a reward is also not the best course of action because doing so only increases its allure and undermines the intended effect.

The World Health Organization published recommendations on how much time young children should spend in front of screens in light of the concerns that growing screen time brings to children's health. Social media platforms have stepped up by adding parental controls to stop the use of children's data for marketing and other illicit purposes. Shouting consequences of too much phone use may not help. Inform and educate them how much screen time is a healthy time limit.

Parents must educate their children on how to use digital platforms to their advantage and assist them to comprehend their digital imprint. They must also lead by example, modeling appropriate usage, timing, and frequency, describing the ill effects. Instead of acting with constraint, parents should communicate with their children about the right use of social media and manage their screening time effectively to establish a stable and safe relationship with their children.

Children will feel more at ease discussing their social media presence if you take an actual interest in them. Children can now study outside the books, promote their interests, and even acquire social skills as they traverse the digital world, and parents must help their children understand the same.

Also Read: 5 signs of a dysfunctional family