A recent survey revealed parents spend nearly as much time on their phones as they do with their children.
Over 2,000 parents responded to the New York Post’s questionnaire looking at phone usage and attitudes around screen time behavior.
The average time spent browsing on smartphones was 2 hours and 17 minutes. On the other hand, screen-free time with kids was reported to be 2 hours and 41 minutes on average.
Sixty-nine percent of parents said they felt “addicted” to their smart devices. But you know it’s bad when your child asks you to put down your phone! Half of the respondents said their children actually ask parents to put phones down to spend quality time with them.
On the other hand, 74% of parents said they worried their children spent too long looking at a screen. But 83% agreed that technology was important in raising children today.
Parents said they use smart devices to help with parenting as per the following:
– Keep kids occupied: 58%
– As a reward: 53%
– Calm children down when upset: 52%
But 83% of moms and dads said it’s important to have family time without any screens. Furthermore, 79% said their relationship with their kids would be better with less technology. Here’s a breakdown of some of the rules the respondents set for screen time usage for their kids.
Screen time rules for children
– Limited screen time: 65%
– Have full access to the child’s phone: 57%
– Only educational shows/videos allowed: 55%
– No screen time during dinner time: 53%
– No screen time before bedtime: 44%
Parents’ priorities when it comes to raising their children
Providing children with a good education: 59%
– Prioritizing children’s physical health: 53%
– Set up an environment for a happy childhood: 44%
– Teaching healthy social skills: 43%
– Teaching pragmatic skills for future careers: 38%
How to use technology effectively for parenting
It’s becoming increasingly evident that moms and dads spend a lot of time on their phones. While downtime is important to keep you sane, too much phone use is detrimental for parents and kids alike!
The World Health Organization recommends children under 5 years old limit screen time to an hour daily, while children under 2 years old have no screen time at all. Excessive usage can lead to developmental language delays.
It’s been suggested “technoference," spending too much time on your phone, can damage your relationship with your children. So parents, beware as adults can easily fall foul of the same issues with digital devices!
Try the simple tips that follow to limit your family’s screen time usage to healthy levels.
Connect screen time to physical and creative activity
Instead of separating learning and playtime as mutually exclusive activities, combine technology with physical games.
If you’re watching a cartoon about sports, get the family to jump 10 times every time the main character scores a goal or accomplishes something. Or you could dance together whenever a certain song or jingle pops up.
It’ll take some creativity to get the most out of this, but your effort will be worth it. Remember to choose enriching and educational content!
Set specific times to use screens
Kids love routines. Incorporating screen time used as part of a schedule helps to limit how much your children watch shows on a phone or the TV.
Get an egg timer or use the built-in timer on the phone. Establish guidelines together so your kids feel it’s a collaborative process; they’ll feel readier to relinquish control of the devices when it’s something everyone agreed to.
Use alternatives for quiet time
It’s a common sight for everyone to have their eyes glued to the phone when there’s downtime nowadays. If there’s space and time to relax, swap the devices and go old school by reading books, playing with toys, or doing puzzles instead.
It’s not uncommon for parents to feel addicted to their smartphones. Take proactive measures to limit screen time for your kids and yourself! Family time will prosper because of it!
This article was republished with permission from theAsianParent.
theAsianparent is a publication under Tickled Media Pte Ltd. Started in September 2009, it is the largest parenting website in Southeast Asia, targeted at urban parents and parents-to-be who live in Asia or are of Asian heritage. theAsianparent speaks to every stage and priority of an Asian mom’s journey – from pre-conception to pregnancy, to breastfeeding, and even how to raise smart, strong and kind children.
