We Have Got to Manage our Kid's Screen time Better

Ipads, tablets, phones, Netflix, our favorite digital babysitters. If you are a parent of small children, you know exactly what I am talking about. At first, we introduce technology to our kids because it's cute seeing them play with a phone and being entertained, or the fact they love Mickey Mouse, etc. Unfortunately, it becomes a substitute babysitter when parents are occupied working from home, doing chores, or cooking. I mean seriously, how convenient is it to shove an Ipad in your little person's face when you want to lay up watching Netflix or talk loud on the phone?

How many parents are constantly doing something that keeps their child occupied during downtime? Realistically, you are not, especially if you are "busy." I remember seeing an animation of a child so deep into their tablet, that when someone took it away, they went absolutely insane. I have seen it with my own eyes, with my own son. If you try to pry his Ipad out of his hands and he thinks he has not watched it long enough...SEVERE MELTDOWN.

Think about it, we as adults are addicted to our phones. It's the first thing you reach for when you wake up, and the last thing you have in your hands before you go to sleep. Even though we have so many other things to occupy our minds and our time, you and I both have a hard time sitting our devices down. It's a constant stimulus and a terrible habit, especially for a kid's brain. It affects their sleep, their behavior, their learning as well as social skills. You'll find yourself hearing phrases or other sayings your child has picked up from Youtube, and a lot of it is not appropriate.

I am seriously trying to remember what I did as a child not having access or even knowing at the time what the internet was. I mean I had a Speak and Spell, (you're really old if you know what that was) and after a while a Nintendo, but other than that, I was outside playing most of the time. I loved to go outside when I was a kid. I can't front, my son has it bad with his Ipad addiction, and we have to do something about it.

Going forward we are limiting his usage to the weekends, and even that will be monitored. It's going to be challenging, but it's something that needs to be done. If this is a problem with your child, I suggest you do as much as possible to get it under control. It's only going to help them in the long run.