It's easy for kids to always be on their devices. If you are a savvy parent you can use this as a teaching tool. All those hours that they spend on devices such as tablets and phones should not be put to waste. You should be using this time wisely so that you can instill essential values in them. You can incorporate intentional educational content, set appropriate boundaries, and foster communication by making use of screen time. Here are some tips to get you started.
Age Appropriate Content One of the first things you need to do is make sure that your kids have age-appropriate content on their devices. This is something you need to carefully curate as a parent. You want to make sure that the curated apps, games, and videos help your children display positive values such as empathy, teamwork, and kindness just to name a few. Make sure that the content shows characters who are making good decisions and striving to be good world citizens. Interactive Learning Interactive learning is something that kids enjoy. It gets them to have hands-on experience with what they are doing. It stimulates their minds and gets them into problem-solving mode. This is always good as it teaches them valuable life skills that they can then transfer to other areas of their life. You just might see their schoolwork skyrocket because of all the critical thinking skills they are mastering. Interactive learning is great for pushing cooperation. Even kids who are naturally given tug-of-war behaviors in group settings can change because they are learning how to interact and give room for others to participate. Foster Communication While watching videos such as Veggietales: An Easter Carol it's a good time for you to be open to communication with your kids. You can discuss any lessons that are being learned along the way. You want to make sure that your children start feeling comfortable sharing their deep thoughts and feelings with you. Making this connection through games is a good way to open up communication. The best thing is that when you open communication this way, talking is something that surfaces feelings of excitement along with that warm “fuzzy” feeling. Letting communication get linked like that in your child's mind is a great way to help them to become better communicators as it will transfer to other areas of their lives. Model Device Behavior It's a great idea for you to model the type of behavior you want your children to have with their devices. If your child is spending too much time on their devices it may be that you are doing the same thing. Examine your TikTok on Instagram scrolling habits. Are you up late at night just going through the feed? Do you pull out your phone at inappropriate times? While everything you do on your phone will not be for educational purposes, you do want to let your child see that educational content should be a part of their repertoire. The best way to do this is to pause the mindless scrolling and become “mindful”. Set Boundaries When it comes to kids using their devices, you can teach them the importance of having boundaries by establishing them for the use of their devices. There should be special rules about the amount of screen time they are allowed to have as well as the appropriateness of the contents. You can also have rules about the locations in which they can use these devices. Maybe you don't want them to watch in the bedroom only in their living room. Establishing clear boundaries is going to put an ax to specific kinds of behaviors. This is the only way to ensure you are instilling good values. Encourage Creativity Creativity is something that should always be encouraged in children. The good news is that many apps are geared towards just that. Children can learn how to draw, tell stories, and even play music on a lot of these applications. All of this creativity can transfer into other areas of life as well. Children transfer these creative skills to their homemaking, and work life as they get older. Nothing is wasted. Ready to use technology to teach kids good values so they are ready to become great world citizens? The chance to make your child a better person is literally at your fingertips and theirs, so use every opportunity possible to get your goals met. Reach for the stars!
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