January On Line Safety Newsletter
Christmas has now been and gone and I’m sure in many households’ lives a new tablet, phone or game console waiting to be used.
No one cares more about your child’s well-being and success than you do. In today’s digitally-fuelled times, that means guiding him or her not just in the real world but in the virtual one as well. It is essential that we teach our children to use technology in a healthy way and pick up the skills and habits that will make them successful digital citizens.
This year’s newsletters will guide you on how to make technology work for you and your family, starting with ‘screen time’. How much time should our children be spending in front of a screen whether it is a television, laptop, phone or some other device?
How much time is too much time?
You may have seen the recent news reports that are saying there is little evidence to suggest that screen use for children is harmful to their health – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46749232 . I’m sure many of you will hold your own views on this with many of you disagreeing with it. The debate is likely to go on and on for many years. Realistically there should be a balance which works for you and your family and this will vary between different families.
Children use their devices and computers for lots of different reasons – to learn, to play, and to socialise. The most important thing is to set clear boundaries on screen time and set a good example. After all we need to prepare them for adulthood and help make them good digital citizens.
Here are a few ideas to help you and your family with ‘screen time’
1. Agree on a clear set of rules with your child on screen time in the home. Talk to your child about when you think it is appropriate and inappropriate to use screens. Agree times when screens are allowed and not allowed in the home. For example: no screens before school, at dinner time, nor bedtime.
2. Do as you say. Modelling behaviour is THE most powerful way you can influence your child’s behaviour so let them see you limiting your own screen time.
3. Restrict the use of computers/devices in the bedroom. Depending on the age of your child you may want to set a curfew or ban devices from the bedroom completely. It is important that we encourage openness and mentor
alongside our children and whilst it is important to respect privacy, we must always be mindful of stranger danger as a digital problem.
4. Pick one evening a week where you do a family activity together, whether it’s movie night, games night or something else. Doing activities together as a family will help implement screen time guidelines and offer fun alternatives.
5. Join in, why not set some time aside to play your child’s favourite computer game and discover the online world together.
6. Try not to rely on screens too much to keep the children amused. It can be easy to encourage children to pick up the tablet or play a game on the computer to keep them occupied. This only confuses rules on screen time, try and stick to the agreed rules with your child and remember to set a good example.
7. Don’t have screens always on in the background. Turn off TVs and Computers when not in use, these can be distracting for kids if they are trying to participate in another activity.
8. Chat with your child about what they do online and encourage them to use their screen time for learning and education.
Unfortunately there is no magic number as to ‘How much time is too much time’ and as a school we do not wish to preach and only endorse what we feel is good advice. Screens can be a useful & valuable resource – to learn, to play and to socialise. Remember, the most important thing is to get a good balance that works for your family, not just on screen time but also the activities that devices are being used for. As the children grow towards adulthood, a responsible attitude from a young age will help keep them safe and help them develop into successful digital citizens.
Melanie Schleising (Computing Coordinator)