take their stories from head to paper,
working at their own pace and time.
Screen Time In A Pandemic
Screen time is up drastically because of the pandemic that affected all of us last year. With restrictions and lockdowns, it is only natural that many have turned to screens. We have all had to adjust what we did before Covid. Work, school, play and meetings are now done on screens. It is even a great way to connect with family and friends and give a virtual hug!
We are thankful that we found alternative ways to do things we did pre-covid. Thanks to screens, it might have been tougher to cope! We have seen the benefits, and now we are going to walk our way through, to make efficient use of our devices or screen and make them work for us. How?
Check out my seven tips below:
Screen Time Tips
- Make mealtimes screen-free time. Mealtimes should be family-bonding time. Time to talk about your day and your concerns. Time to help everyone to cope with the anxieties of our everyday life. Mealtimes are your family’s stress-free time, a time for teaching and learning. Do not waste that time on social media. Show your family that they are more important than your entertainment.
- Set time aside for regular exercise. It is easy to be distracted by screens during lockdowns. The good news is that you can use your devices to get your exercise done. Use them to set reminders on and in browsing apps, videos on aerobics or strength and core building for different age and fitness levels. Yes your exercise time can be part of your screen time
- Be selective of what you do with your screen. Since we now use devices more, the things we can do on them is limitless. The need for caution is more today than ever before. You will need to protect your family’s emotional, mental and spiritual health by being selective. Put parental controls in place for your children and teach them why the internet could be a dangerous place for anyone and why they need to be careful. Check this device out.
- Reading is a beneficial skill. Let your reading and learning time be screen-free time. If you can, invest in an E-Reader. They are designed for reading and with fewer distractions.
- Set and prioritize family playtime. The good old board game is still a beautiful way for families to have fun together. Or you can create your own game which is even more fun.
- Vary what you and your children do online. Do not focus too much on entertainment check out how-to videos. Learn to bake, sew, knit, draw, paint, plant, decorate your home. You have endless opportunities as what you can learn on your screen. Take advantage of the ton of videos and other how-to resources online.
- And finally, do not let screens take over your sleep time. An ancient proverb says "there is time for everything". Do not swap your sleep time for screen time. Many are finding it difficult to sleep because of their use of screens. Do not let screens control your time in any way. Shut down and put them away if possible from your room, to allow you to get the needed sleep you require to function each day.
These have worked for my family and not based on expert advice. I hope you have found these tips helpful and can work out something for your family so, your devices become tools that benefit your family. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.
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