A Tip for Parents
In this digital revolution era, many homes across America, parents and children are no longer fighting about leaving a treehouse to come inside for dinner, but are now negotiating time spent on individual screens. Children are exposed to more digital media today than ever before. This spring, we hope you close your laptop, put the video games away, and get outside into the beauty of nature at Strawberry Run.
Here are a few tips for navigating the dangers and opportunities from screen use when it comes to maximizing cognitive development in kids.
1. Balance
Exposure to digital devices negatively impact children’s cognitive and social development. It can be beneficial to restrict the use of digital devices and in place reward in-person play and interaction with friends and family. You don’t need to cut out technology all together, but it is important to balance any use of technology with real-life social behavior.
2. Quality & Quantity
It’s always good to be aware of the number of hours your child has screen time, physical activity, sleep, etc. but it’s also just as important to keep in mind the quality of this matters too.
3. Question of the Day
Start a tradition of having kids take turns asking a “Question of the day” according to their interests. Instead of loogin at Google, Siri, or Alexa, encourage your kids to reflect themselves on what they think. This creates a habit of creative thinking instead of turning to a device right away for the answer.
4. Listen & Communicate
Engage and communicate with your children about technology. Having conversations and showing interest in their online activities will create an understanding environment that will help children feel free to share their experiences without fear.
Source:
To learn more tips, check out Children and Screens Institute of Digital Media and Child Development.
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