To see a kid head tilted into a screen is as usual a routine part of our lives as the sun and moon in the sky is. It just doesn’t raise eyebrows anymore, and that is worrying. It is no secret that managing their kid’s screen time has become every parent’s biggest challenge.
There are no limits to the depths and dangers of the internet. Also, there are so many traps for kids online. It has become a necessity to track kid’s web browsing activities to make sure they don’t venture into the contrary corners of the internet.
How to limit your kid’s screen time?
The effect of the blue light-emitting from smart-phones is a topic that is much-discussed and documented. A survey by Common sense media in 2017 found that kids aged 8 to 12 have an average screen time of 4.5 hours, and the teenager’s clock at more than 6.5 hours.
No wonder many parents are found distressed over their kid’s addiction to ignoring everything else for some excuse to gaze at a mobile screen. While the impulse is to monitor your children secretly to avoid any untoward incident, some other suggestions are worth going through.
Written below is a brief explanation:-
- Focus on quality, not quantity
The key should be to focus on the quality of screen time and not the volume. Experts say that the perfect screen time is a myth, and it depends. Also, experts stress that screen time together with kids is known to build stronger relationships, like playing a mind game or listening to music together.
- Surround your kids with healthier alternatives
Our surroundings impact our behavior, is an age-old adage. Hence, it is much recommended to surround your kids with much better options like print media. Read in front of your kids and let them know, observe, and show them the power of printed media and words.
- Let screen time be a privilegeÂ
Shower kids with screen time when they show good behavior and do their work well. Make it a rare part of the day and show it’s a privilege to them so they can appreciate it when they have it. Instead of them taking this time for granted.
- Involved parents are the best
Have daily chats with your kids so that they realize conversations with you are a regular part of life. Many times kids gravitate towards excess screen time to replace family and especially parent’s touch in their daily lives.
- Use parental control technology
The same technology that causes you all that worry can also be your savior. There are some quality options when it comes to child cell phone monitoring software solutions in the market. Use them to monitor your kid’s screen time to get the chance to take necessary action.
Five dangers of screen addiction
There may not be any consensus on the screen time, but one thing that no one disagrees with is the harm that is known to cause. Sitting in front of a screen is not just harmful physically but mentally, too, as the mindset gets altered by excessive screen time.
Next, we take a good look at some of the biggest dangers:-
- Sedentary lifestyle
This lifestyle is one of the biggest threats of the effects of technology on our lives. Excessive screen time has caused little or no physical activity, and kids are very much affected by this modern phenomenon. It can lead to many health problems and has been the source of many deaths.
- Academic problems
Studies or academics are often the significant casualties of spending a large amount of the day on screens. The instinct to open a screen instead of the book is too alluring for young minds to ignore. Over time the impact can be quite disastrous for their future.
- An inclination towards violence
Mobiles have made everything convenient, and actions happen quicker now. That has made lives better, but the downside is that patience has worn thin in recent years in the teens. The result is people get angry quickly and resort to violence on anybody irking them in the slightest.
- Sleeping problems
Medical experts have warned multiple times how there should be a good gap between the screen time and the time you go to bed. A 2014 review showed the harmful effect on sleep patterns in 90% of the reviewed studies.
- Poor mental health
In 2017, Statista revealed some alarming numbers. Almost half of the population in the 18-34 age group said that social media made them feel unattractive. National Institute of Mental Health revealed a strong correlation between social media use and depression. These are alarming effects of screen time beyond a healthy limit, which again depends.
How can Spymaster Pro help you control your kid’s screen time?
Spymaster Pro is a leading cell phone monitoring software that can act as a perfect parental control technology for all the worried parents. The app has a long line of features designed to keep a close eye on the mobile activity of your kids. It does so all the time and from anywhere.
Listed below are these main features of Spymaster Pro:-
- Live screen-shots regularly and daily
- Instant activity notifications
- Keylogger
- Listening to calls
- Social media tracking
- Instant messages tracking
- Call logs and contacts
- Calendar entries
- 24*7 customer support in ten languages
- Web browser history
- Multimedia files tracking
Conclusion
The right amount of screen time is a debate that is not going to end anytime soon and for some very good reasons. The effects are beneficial and alarming, depending on the person and their usage patterns regarding other activities. As such, it is becoming imperative to track kid’s web browsing activities not to be shocked if any threat brings harm to your kids.
