Student Wellbeing
Reducing your Child's Screen Time
Experts believe we should allow no more than two hours per day of screen time (see left).
I recently read this article (below) from Growth Minded from Big Life Journal Publications (Aug. 2024) and thought it linked well with our recent Kids Helpline@School Session that our Year 3-6 students took part in, titled "Balancing Our Tech Time" . Here, the consultant discusses the kind of conversations (or arguments!!) that we regularly may have with our children about this subject and ways to allow better understanding of the need for better balance of their time.
"The other day, my 7-year-old son asked me a really good question: “Mom, why can't I watch TV all day?” I paused, thinking of a way to help him understand… Simply saying, “It’s not good for you!” doesn’t always work. Kids need to understand the why behind it. So, here’s what I did: I grabbed a few items from the kitchen (a pitcher with water and cups) and explained: “Think of our day like a pitcher of water 💧. The pitcher represents our time, and each cup is an activity we do throughout the day. If we pour too much water into one cup, like screen time, there won’t be enough left for other important and fun things— like playing outside, reading, sleeping, or spending time together.” Then we talked about all the things he wanted to do during his day besides watching TV! What I didn’t expect was how my son’s perspective shifted after that conversation." |
To have a similar conversation with your child, check out this week’s parenting tips (below) to try with your children.
Check out these great PARENT WORKSHOPS!
Warm Regards,
Jenny Todd
(Student Wellbeing Leader)