Media and Children: Tips for Parents
Since children are growing up in a digital world, it is necessary for them to learn healthy concepts of using technology and media. Parents play a fundamental role in this regard, and in this article, we have discussed several practical and useful tips for parents.
1- Treat the virtual environment and media the same way you treat the real environment in your child’s life: Set limits for your child just like you do in the real world; children need these limits. Get to know your child’s friends, both real and online! Have information about what apps and programs they use and what they do when connected to the internet.
2- Set time limits and encourage your child to play: Using technology, like all other activities, should be reasonable. Offline games help children’s creativity tremendously. Therefore, prioritize non-technology-based games, especially for younger children. Don’t forget to join your child’s play whenever possible.
3- Families who play together, learn together: Family involvement in children’s play can inherently be beneficial for their media activities as well, because it enhances interaction and learning in the child. Play video games with your child. By doing this, you also show your interest in recreational sports and can transfer your life experiences to them through the game.
4- Do not neglect the value of face-to-face communication: The best way of learning for young children is having two-way communication. Constantly engaging in conversation plays a crucial role in improving a child’s language. These communications can be face-to-face or via video chat if one of the parents or grandparents is away. Research has shown that having an active role in a conversation is much more effective in developing language skills than being passive and just a listener.
5- Have tech-free zones at home: For example, make your child’s bedroom free of media devices. Your child’s cell phone should be charged outside their bedroom during the night to prevent sleep problems and disorders.
6- Do not use technology as a tool to calm your child down: Media can help keep your child quiet and calm, but it should not become your child’s only entertainment and soothing tool. For this, you need to find other solutions like talking about the issue.
7- Choose programs that are appropriate for your child: To find these programs, you can search the internet and choose programs that are also educational. There are more than 80,000 apps labeled as educational.
8- Being online is completely normal for teenagers: Having internet connections is part of the growth and adolescence stage in teenagers. Social media can help teenagers by identifying their place in this world. Just monitor that your teenager behaves appropriately in both the real and virtual worlds.
9- Remember, kids will be kids: After all, kids sometimes make mistakes when using media. Try to be patient and use your child’s mistake as an opportunity for them to learn. Of course, you must monitor closely to make sure your child does not approach the red lines.