COVID Screen Time
As we continue into our second year of the COVID pandemic, many parents continue to balance work, virtual learning, and parenting. Check out my recent post about slowing down and enjoying your family time. Life is a constant balancing act. Many parents have tuned to screens to help them navigate the challenges of pandemic parenting. There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of time children have spent in front of screens over the last twelve months, whether screens are acting as a teacher or a babysitter they are giving parents and children a bit of what they need. Parents are experiencing massive amounts of guilt over the number of hours spent on screens. It is important to remind yourself that this is just for now, not forever. You are doing the best you can in the situation you are in.
A few important things to remember about children:
1. Children are like sponges. The take in and absorb all that they are exposed to. They look at tone of voices, social cues, and nonverbal communication.
2. Children test out behaviors. Especially with parents. For kids, home is a safe place to try new behaviors. Children will see behaviors on tv and apply them to their own lives to test them out.
3. Children are constantly learning. An amazing thing about childhood is children’s genuine curiosity and love for learning new things.
By thinking about the following things when selecting screen time activities, parents are often able to reduce screen time guilt.
1. Look for shows that teach and model kindness.
2. Preview shows for the use of tone of voice and nonverbal communication.
3. Debrief with your child after a show. Especially one that is more controversial. Talk through key social interactions.
4. Encourage shows that teach something.
5. Check for understanding. Be sure your child understands and comprehends what is happening on the show to decrease misunderstandings.
A few of our favorites:
Daniel Tiger
Super Why
Wild Kratts
AlphaBlocks
The Magic School Bus
Octonauts
Sesame Street
PBS Kids is a great resource for tv shows, games and parenting resources.
Remember this won’t last forever. Hopefully, life will return to normal but in the meantime, I sincerely hope this helps reduce your screen time guilt.