It is no secret that screen time is an important part of modern life. For children, learning about screen time can be both educational and entertaining. At Just2 Tutoring, we believe it’s crucial to ensure that your child’s screen time is managed in a healthy way. What we recommend is creating a screen management contract with your child. While most parents believe it to be a good idea, most kids tend to disagree. At J2, we encourage approaching this topic with good intentions for your child, as well as let them be a part of the conversation and choices being made.
Best Time and Place to Discuss Screen Time
Start the conversation about setting screen time limits early, and revisit it regularly as your child grows and their technology use evolves. Establishing healthy boundaries around screen time can be challenging but essential for young minds to develop the necessary skills.
To ensure a successful conversation with your kids about their digital habits, choose an appropriate moment when everyone is in a calm state of mind – such as during weekly family meetings or relaxing Sunday afternoons away from screens. The goal is to create an environment for discussion, not argument.
Key Questions for Discussing Screen Time
When discussing the topic, emphasize the benefits of using screens responsibly such as developing better self-control, learning healthy communication skills, and reducing stress levels – something our coaches do with our students regularly. It can also be helpful to discuss the potential harms associated with overusing screens such as missing out on physical activities, sleep disturbances, and spending less time with family and friends. The key here is to focus on the benefits of responsible use rather than just harping on the negatives or banning all screens outright.
Here is a list of guided questions J2 uses to lead the family discussion:
- What are your favorite screen activities?
- What is your favorite activity that is outside of screens? Do we spend enough time doing that?
- What is annoying about how we (as a family) use screens throughout the day?
- Where do you think I use my screen too much?
- Maybe we all need some screen time rules. What do you think about that?
- How long do you think you should be allowed to use your screen everyday?
- Should an adult have different screen rules than you?
- How do we let friends and family know?
Benefits of Effective Screen Management
Always remember to highlight the benefits of screen time. With a sound screen management contract in place, kids gain valuable life skills such as self-discipline and responsibility – all while getting off the parental radar, earning privileges, gaining independence in managing their screens responsibly as well being free from persistent distractions. And when children reduce their own distractions through cutbacks to their digital use habits, not only does this signal responsibility over entertainment – but also more chances for quality family and personal time for everyone.
Why We Use Screen Management Tools at Just2
Creating a screen management contract with your child can help ensure they are using technology in a responsible way while still allowing them the freedom to explore educational opportunities online or stay connected with friends safely over social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
At Just2 we want to help ease you and your young person into managing your screens now. By approaching this conversation openly and thoughtfully, you will be able to craft an agreement that works for everyone in your family and helps set digital boundaries for everyone involved!
At Just2 Tutoring, our mission is to empower students to excel by guiding them and their parents in developing key executive functioning skills. This includes creating structured settings, simplifying tasks into manageable steps, and offering practice opportunities. Reach out to us today to discover how we can equip your child with the essential tools they need for success Make sure to look out for the comprehensive list of our top screen management tools in our next post!
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