Managing screen time of kids is not easy as we think. It is a challenging task. Age from 5-10 years is a growing age; children are learning skills like (reading, writing, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, cooperation, empathy) and (self-regulation, confidence, and resilience.

While the excess use of screen can impact all this and child may be diverted more to screens and his ability to recognize all his abilities may affect as well with his physical health. But they can use screens for learning and creativity. A scheduled way can be a solution to this; they should be allowed mobile phones but no more than 1–2 hours of recreational screen time per day.

This would be the time they could use gadgets to use technology for a beneficial purpose like seeing art and craft videos or knowing the background story of any poem. This would be called as entertainment based screentime but make sure to be consistent in regulating this schedule and don’t let them watch unnecessary stuff.

Impact of long-term screen time

24/7 screen time produces blue lights having UV radiations which penetrates into the cells of brain, clogging the thought pattern. Diseases like autism and ADHD are common in children nowadays due to attention span and perfection obsession. Along with that, children who are surrounded by gadgets are typically seen agressive and irritable in nature.

They lack social cognitive empathy. Numbness is their new cool. Moreover, a lot of screen time can lead to unrealistic expectations from the world which distorts the healthy mindset. Lack of brain storming; Addiction of youtube shots, instagrams reels and tiktok video altogether are collapsing the thinking capability of children. Hence retarded growth of mind ultimately affects the physical health of child. Healthy mind is a healthy body.

Which age is perfect for mobile introduction to children?

As a parent, it is a matter of responsibility to decide when and how to introduce mobile phones to their children. Expert says mobile phones should not be brought into contact with children of age from 0-5 years as this is the learning age; child is growing and developing. If you introduce mobile phones to their routine, they will start dwelling on them.

Children aged 5-15 years should be made known to mobile phones but just for educational purposes and study related information and parents should monitor properly what they are exploring and the phone provided to them should not be personal but their own and the screen time should be fixed otherwise it would disturb their routine. Children of age from 15 to 20 years should be provided with personal phones with appropriate apps mainly for safety and communication purposes.

Is drawing or coloring activities help us?

Yes, activities like drawing and coloring pages improve children’s attention span. When a child is about to draw, he makes some decisions in his mind related to that drawing or makes a sketch in his head in the imaginative world of his mind. Or if he is copying the image, he becomes conscious and is fully involved in his drawing. Drawing or coloring forces a child to sit calmly and focus on drawing lines, choosing colors of perfect shades.

This helps to develop the ability of decision making in them. Drawing and coloring activities are one of the most important activities to improve the motor skills of a child. A child understands how to distinguish between colors, hold a pencil, and a bush. When a child is drawing, he pays proper attention and is thinking actively.

This process is mind-engaging, when child is about to draw his brain directs his hand to pick a color, then his brain process the sequence of steps involved in drawing, that’s how mind is occupied while performing any activity, thus improving the creativity and imaginative skills of a child. On completing a drawing, a child feels a sense of accomplishment: the ability to make you feel more confident and valued.

In today’s advanced and busy world where apps and Ai have overcome, children want instant gratification. They demand novelty. However, parents can manage this behavior by developing a healthy routine or by educating their children on how to enjoy simple and fun activities for a longer period.

Parents need to teach their children to play with the same toys by creating new activities for them, suppose combing a doll’s hair, cooking that doll with kitchen sets or changing her dress. Creating a daily routine could be profitable.

A child would imagine her day and activities he will be going to perform next day, will help him become more disciplined and organized person.

Some DIY physical activities to engage kids

There are various activities parents can opt to restrain their children from using digital gadgets which leads to devastating effects on a child’s health. These activities need to be interesting so that the child may have the curiosity to discover them.

Try to find the easiest and simpler ones, like stacking the cushions of bed and jump on them, arranging the same color toys in same section, arranging the night suits in the closet, let them help you in kitchen and allow them to do experiments like kneading the flour, cut fruits, provide them charts and colors and permit them paint freely so they be creative but you can sometimes question them to draw specific objects like an apple so that their motor skills get improved and they be more focused.

Your biggest struggle as a parent to deal with it?

In the modern era of technology, the problem is not only to remove screens from children’s hands but to teach them how to use it for benefit in a balanced way. Make sure to introduce productive and mindful tech use to your children, for instance encourage them to watch informative videos or the videos of currents situation from the beginning instead of cartoons or short reels which urge them to demand something new and exciting after some times. But this could be challenging due to busy schedules and responsibilities.

Parents just hand over screens to their children and do not check what kind of content they are watching. Moreover, children get emotionally attached to gadgets and start depending on them for their happiness and feel at ease when mobile phones are snatched from them, they become upset. It is also difficult to set boundaries once your child is addicted to such gadgets.

Has anyone tried replacing screen time?

Parents have discovered various ways to make their children involved in physical activities which guarantee creativity, responsibility and emotional development rather than frustration, anxiety, and stress which are caused by using screen gadgets. Introducing creative toys or activities rather than playful toys like puzzles, painting, drawing, and games which are more brain-engaging. S

uch games provoke them to be involved and investigate the imaginative ideas of mind. By getting engaged in such activities they would be less distracted.

Outdoor and physical plays prove healthier than just handing over mobile phones to them. Outdoor games involve muscle activity and energy; thus, a child is energetic all day while the other person who is just sitting and using a screen is unfit and dull. Family involvement verifies the optimal results.

Modern parents need to inspire traditional parents for better and healthy growth of their children. In past. Children were more active, smart, physically, and mentally fit. This is the reason modern parents should copy traditional parents. Modern parents should encourage imaginative and creative plays of tradition.

The games that keep children occupied and provide sense of coordination and responsibility should be the activities children should be engaged in.

How to encourage child for outdoor games?

All of us prefer to explore or to do new things. In the same way, children also love it to try something new. You need to make sure the activities you are designing must be interesting and fascinating since why a child would be attracted to a boring game. It must be pleasing.

You can ask your child what’s their favorite game is and then buy him/her the equipment and organize a specific environment. Remember, you can offer choices but don’t order.

Play with them: Kids copy action. Team up with you partner and play Infront of your child and thus participate in playing with your child, they will feel safe more special this family environment will boost their confidence. Their bond becomes stronger.

Acknowledgment: kids love to be appreciated. When they are praised, they feel happy and feeling fulfilment makes them forget the instant entertainment which mobile phones provide.

Is coloring or drawing activities help in it?

For sure, coloring and drawing activities help a child to reduce mobile addiction and give them a chance to reflect on yourself. That’s how a child comes to know about himself, his likeness and choices. When a child is acquired to draw or color something, They start considering different options or colours available to them. This activity gives them the chance to be decisive and make decisions for themselves.

This planning is directed on page in the form of drawing or sketches, which is the result of brains activity. When we make fantasy or scenarios in our mind urges our brain to work, think and evaluate. In biological terms we call it the result of hormonal response which is secreted due to stimulation of frontal lobe of brain. Coloring and drawing prove a smoothing activity. It lessens the stress and anxiety which may cause by instant gratification due to mobile phones.

Successful Parents What they did?

Although it seems really challenging but somehow there are parents who successfully reduced their child’s screen-time not by creating tough or rigid rules or by being harsh to their kids but simply by forming specific boundaries. They fixed the time for using screens like an hour in the evening or not using mobile phones before bed at all.

By following such commands, children process the concept of decisions and how to obey or respect them. Parents also created screen free zones in their home where children cannot use phones at all or screen free day: the day nobody will use phone at home. This also limited the screen time of children.

Final Words

Parents found new and interesting alternatives to entangle their child in the fun activities or outdoor games to reduce the time they will spend on gadgets. Parents became role models for their children; they copy whatever their parents do or say. They try to do exactly same.

When they see their parents playing and spending time with them instead of using smart phones, they are attracted to their family more than any inhumane gadget. Thus, to sustain the fun element parents created fun activities so that the child may not get bored with them.