A gentle guide for helping parents to reduce their child's screen time
While there are real benefits to technology – especially during the long lockdowns of 2021 where tech has enabled us to connect with friends, family, school and work, and give us parents a much-needed break from time to time – there are also downsides. I would love to take a minute here to talk about Google Classroom – gah! But, let's move on.
When screen time isn't balanced with the other things that make us happy humans (things like exercise, sleep, time outdoors and most importantly, face-to-face connection), the benefits are overpowered by the negatives.
The latest nib State of the Nation Parenting Survey canvassed 1200 parents in Aotearoa and revealed that the impact of technology and screen time on children topped the list of parental concerns, with gaming and social media also being significant worries. With what we know of the effects of screen time on sleep, it's probably no coincidence that lack of sleep in kids is one of the major health concerns highlighted in the report.
Link to article: Parenting Place: A gentle guide for helping parents to reduce their child's screen time - NZ Herald
