Televisions and computer monitors are no longer the only screens parents should be concerned about. Smartphones, tablets, handheld gaming consoles, e-reader and music players are catching the eyes of youth, and the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses adults must limit their child's use of technology.
In a statement published by HealthyChildren.org, the APP give tips for parents to make a plan to encourage less media use in their children. Some of the suggestions include:
A. "Make a media use plan for your family. Take into account not only the quantity, but the quality and location of media use. Consider TVs, phones, tablets and computers."
B. "The rules should be written down and agreed upon by all family members.
Screens should be kept out of kids' bedrooms. Put in place a 'media curfew' at mealtime and bedtime, putting all devices away or plugging them into a charging station for the night."
The AAP also encourages parents to limit the kinds of programs their children are viewing. Parents should take control in blocking content and television shows they deem are not age appropriate due sex, drugs, explicit language, etc.
According to the AAP's statement, having an open discussion about how the Internet and their social media accounts work is also vital in the digital age:
C. "The Internet can be a wonderful place for learning. But it also is a place where kids can run into trouble. Keep the computer in a public part of your home, so you can check on what your kids are doing online and how much time they are spending there."
D. "Discuss with your children that every place they go on the Internet may be 'remembered,' and comments they make will stay there indefinitely. Impress upon them that they are leaving behind a 'digital footprint.' They should not take actions online that they would not want to be on the record for a very long time."
E. "Become familiar with popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You may consider having your own profile on the social media sites your children use. By 'friending' your kids, you can monitor their online presence. Pre-teens should not have accounts on social media sites. If you have young children, you can create accounts on sites that are designed specifically for kids their age."
For more tips on how to create a "Media Plan" for you kids, click here. For AAP's statistics and facts about the importance of limiting media use and its affects on developing minds, click here.
