Well, can you believe it? Only a couple of weeks left of the school year and yet so much to be done. It was great to see many of our volunteers this week at the Volunteers’ Morning Tea – a huge thank you to you all. It was also New Foundation Orientation Day, and that was very exciting for us all – the joy on the faces of some and the apprehension on others, sort of sums up life for us, doesn’t it?

 The other day, I was listening to a story about a mum and how she got her Year 4 child to read. She said that she showed them how. It seems like she would go to the local café for an outing with her child, and when they got their drinks they would open up a book each and read for a while. She said she had sat there one day and looked around and saw all the families on their phones or iPad and thought. I am going to show my child how we can do the same as that, but with books. It was not an easy task, but eventually she said they were both able to sit and read together, rather than browse or check social media. My hat goes off to that mum. It is something I would struggle to do. My phone beeps, rattles, sings and jiggles all the time, daring me not to check it, but I love that mum’s insight and determination. I think how to balance technology time for our kids, especially over the holidays, is one of the real challenges facing our families. Below is an article that I think will give you some great hints on how to go about working your way through technology things with the kids over the break.

“As holidays approach, the role that screens and devices will play becomes an increasing concern for parents. Days when kids are usually tied up with school and activities make way for many an idle hour and, as such, parents fear those hours will be spent largely engaged with a screen or gaming console. While there is certainly no harm in some well-balanced screen time and developmentally appropriate online activities, we must remember that, as parents, we have an important role in helping our kids manage and balance that screen time. Here are a few things we can do:

Understand the battle

It is important parents know the beast they are dealing with. It is easy to shout from another room to get off a screen or whinge to our friends that ‘kids of today’ are all addicted to their phones, but we need to recognise the pull that many of these devices have. The social networks are designed to keep us liking, commenting and sharing. The games cajole us into having ‘just one more’ turn at being the last man standing. These technologies tempt us to reach just one more level, or to scroll for just a few minutes more. Our brains experience a dopamine release and a sense of insufficiency when we use a device. There is always something else to do or something else to scroll through, or one more YouTube video to watch. So our kids are up against it when trying to control their time on a device. We need to help them with that.

Get outside

We can complain that kids never go outside and play anymore, but sometimes we have to physically get out there with them or offer opportunities in which being outside and active play are appealing. We have to work a little harder at this today because we are competing with a device that answers many of our kids’ perceived needs. We need them to know that their needs are greater and more varied than what their screens can offer.

Have some rules

Despite their apparent dislike of rules around technology, kids will (one day) appreciate having boundaries to help them manage their screen time. Rules can be established regarding time limits, devices in bedrooms, device-free meal times, etc. Whatever you decide is important, be sure that you have those discussions with your kids. And any discussion around rules or consequences should happen away from the screens so they are clear on the expectations. (Talking about their screen-time habits while they are just about to be the last man standing on Fortnite is probably not going to make for engaging conversation.)

One console on one television…outside the bedroom

Having only one television that is connected to a gaming console or to Netflix is a good way of ensuring that the device gets shared and one child doesn’t monopolise the screen. And leave consoles out of bedrooms where the appeal of just one more quick game can very quickly rob them of important sleep time.

Role model

Make sure you are showing your kids how you want them to be. Have times when the devices are put away and you give full attention to the people around you. Don’t answer calls or emails at the dinner table. Don’t fall asleep with a device landing on your forehead. Take time to get outside and do things active and in nature. Don’t ever use a phone while driving. Use the Screen Time feature on iOS products to monitor just how you are using your technology and whether you could be making some changes. Kids learn more from what we do than what we say.

We know the technology isn’t going anywhere, and we know there are many wonderful benefits that screens provide. But ensure that holidays and downtime hours can be filled with many different experiences and in ways that leave your kids in control, even if you have to work a little harder to give them that.” (Ogelthorpe, 2018)

Have a  great week with your kids.

Mark B