In this episode our intrepid online newbies discover how addictive online activities can be, and how they affect real life. A cautionary tale where your child will learn the pros and cons of too much screen time and practical solutions to make sure their time online is positive and balanced.
Give your kids the skills
- To understand the positive and negative impact screen time can have on real life.
- To be aware of how it can be difficult to manage screen time.
- To see what a balanced digital diet looks like for them.
- To use practical solutions to ensure online time is positive and balanced.
The wonderful and the worrisome
47%
of young people use technology to support and promote respect and kindness.
Source: UK Council for Internet Safety, ‘Children’s online activities, risks and safety: A literature review by the UKCCIS Evidence Group’, 2017
1 in 3
internet users worldwide are under 18.
Source: UNICEF, ‘Children in a Digital World,
The State of the World’s Children’, 2017
41%
of parents of 12-15s find it hard to control
their child’s screen time.
Source: Ofcom, ‘Children and Parents: Media Use
and Attitudes Report’, 2017
Simple ways to support your child
Managing kids’ screen time can be tricky, as they experience screens in two different ways -active and passive. Active is things like browsing, blogging, gaming or chatting, while passive is generally watching content like YouTube or BBC iPlayer.
If you’re concerned about the amount of time your child is spending in front of the screen, here are some tips to help you.
- engage with their online activities with regular chats or, even better, join in and play together.
- set realistic time limits for their online fun and stick to them.
- encourage them to spend time outside playing away from their screens.
- use these great tech tools to help monitor screen time.
- set a good example with your own screen time.
If you’re worried about how much time your kids spend online why not read our article on helping your child establish a <i>healthy offline-online life balance</i>. Or for more support visit Internet Matters: Deal with Screen Time.