I love summer holidays! No school lunches to organise, no keeping track of clean uniforms for school and no more “Have you finished you homework and had some outside time before you go on your Ipad?”
Policing your kid’s digital time is hard work! The reality is some digital time is a normal part of everyday life and it can be fun and good for kids. We all know how wonderful Saturday night family movie time is from our own childhoods. Now we have “Let’s wipe the floor with Mum in a game of Pokemon” and the chaos and laughs that result. (By the way I am informed I do not even say Pokemon the right way. Parents with Pokemon cred please advise!)
But how do we keep kids safe and healthy on computers when we are:
- At the family/friends party and the kids are off playing computer games
- Happily dribbling in the corner after a hard day at work, complacently telling ourselves “At least there is no homework to worry about tonight”
- Told by our kids “But my best friend’s parents let them play it so why can’t I?”
Well I can say from both my personal and professional experience PARENTS NEED HELP AND SUPPORT WITH THIS!
So get holiday digital time ready and try the following:
1: Educate your kids and try a fun quiz on being internet savvy at https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids-quiz/
2: Visit the iParent section of the Australian Government e-safety website at https://esafety.gov.au/education-resources/iparent and check out 7 ways to manage devices at home.
3: Adopt the genius of the many amazing internet savvy Mum’s out there (thank you Pinterest - see the internet can be used for good!) This approach sets up a culture of “other stuff first” and makes sure your kids don’t forget how to get outside and play cricket or roll on the grass with the dog! https://www.naturalbeachliving.com/screen-time-rules-kids/
4: COME OUT to family and friends that keeping kids screen time healthy is REALLY HARD! Tell your fellow parents the traps you have come across and how you got around them. I tried this recently and found I was NOT ALONE. Every family I talk to has had their fingers burnt online and with computer games. And collectively I learnt more tips and tricks to keep my kids safe in one talk-fest over coffee that I had in the previous 12 months struggling along on my own.
5: If after all that you have 4 minutes to spare please fill out our Kids Clinic survey “Kids on Computers” at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6SZHBDZ. I am always looking for parenting tips “for parents by parents” and will share the results here on our website over the coming months.
Last, but not least, best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
