8 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Online
Limiting Screen Time for Kids: Nurturing Healthy Habits in this Digital Age by 8 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Online. In the evolving age of modern childhood, the concept of a “safe net” for our little ones has taken on a new meaning. We cannot shut our eyes on technology, as it has become an integral part of daily life. But there is a definite need to balance its presence with physical activities, learning, sports, and real social interactions. It is time for parents to take a fact check. I have already written about the negative effects of media on children. Now here are 8 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Online.
As guardians of our children’s well-being, we hold the remote that guides them through the digital odyssey. Adopting technology’s potential, while respecting its limitations, allows us to pave the way for a generation that balances the virtual and real with finesse. Together, let’s create a world where screens are tools for growth and exploration, harmonizing seamlessly with a life rich in experiences, connection, and holistic development.
Be A Guiding Light
One study by The American Academy of Paediatrics provides insights that guide us in this intricate web of technology and childhood development. The decisive message that emerges is handing over a gadget to our kids unattended is a path full of negative repercussions. I am not a young parent now, but even 40 years ago, I never let them watch TV when I was not around. Mind you, there was no internet then. We had one TV which was in my room and they could watch only when I was around. I steered my son towards Nat Geo, Discovery, WWF, Tennis, and F1 racing. He believed that the WWF duels were real, even though I tried to convince him otherwise.
The recommendations by the American Academy of Paediatrics, vary with age, showing the evolving needs of growing minds.
1. No screen at all for children younger than 18 months.
2. From 18 to 24 months, they advise watchful introduction with parental supervision.
3. For ages 2-5, limit the screen time to one hour per day with the parent.
4. Children above 6 can have screen time as decided by parents but with time limitations.
5. The Balancing Act: Navigating the Digital Landscape ( 1 )
As we traverse this digital landscape, one question surfaces: why is the need for limitations? Screens, while a source of knowledge and entertainment, hold unintended consequences for kids.
So, why the emphasis on limiting screen time? Let’s delve into the crux of the issue-
1. Sedentary Lifestyle and Obesity: Excessive screen engagement leaves kids inactive, veering them toward a sedentary lifestyle, gradually transforming them into couch potatoes and potentially culminating in obesity.
2. Eyesight Strain: Prolonged screen exposure strains young eyes, leading to dryness, headaches, and even blurred vision. We attribute a rise in myopia among kids to extensive screen usage and reduced outdoor time. My neighbour’s 4-year-old son has a tiny globule growing under his eye because of excess mobile usage. Both parents are working and the mom is working from home. They gave him the mobile so that she can continue working undisturbed. But at what cost?
3. Sleep Interference: The blue light emitted by screens disrupts sleep patterns and may lead to insomnia. Thus, it’s wise to curtail gadget use an hour before bedtime.
4. Attention and Behavioural Issues: Studies point to a link between excessive screen time and attention-related behavioural problems among pre-schoolers, slowing their motor skill development. They end up as zombies with no mental stimulation of their own.
5. Mental Health Concerns: Adolescents spending more time on screens are reportedly more susceptible to depression and even suicidal tendencies.
Given these insights, here are eight valuable tips to steer our children towards a healthier screen-time balance:
Guiding Principles: Nurturing Balanced Habits
1. Model Good Habits: Children learn by observing; be a role model by moderating your own screen usage. If parents are on their devices all the time, the children are going to emulate the same. Do not watch adult content when the children are around.
2. Encourage New Skills: Introduce kids to new activities like learning an instrument, painting, dancing, or swimming, enhancing their confidence and overall well-being.
3. Foster Reading Habits: Make reading a habit; start with picture books graduating to storybooks as they grow.
4. Establish House Rules: Set well-defined rules, like no screens during mealtimes or before bed, ensuring balanced screen engagement. In our home, we have set different time slots at home like mama time, grandma time, sibling time and me time.
5. Educate About Effects: Explain the reasoning behind rules in a language they can relate to, and help them understand the consequences.
6. Inspire Creativity: Opt for puzzles and toys that stimulate creativity, building social skills alongside imaginative play.
7. Use Screen-Time Apps: Use screen-time tracking apps for controlled and purposeful usage, monitoring their web activity. A simpler method that we adopt with my grandsons is a timer on the mobile. If we ask the child to use the mobile or TV for one hour, set the timer and, once it goes off, the time is up for further screen time.
8. Encourage Awareness: Encourage kids to research and present the drawbacks of excessive screen time, fostering awareness and self-regulation.
8 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Online
In a world where technology offers boundless opportunities, it’s our duty as caregivers to shepherd our children through the digital landscape. By establishing healthy screen-time boundaries, we equip them with the skills to navigate this realm responsibly and grow into well-rounded individuals. After all, in the delicate years of growing up, striking the right balance is our key responsibility.
The Path Forward: A Digital Odyssey with Balance
Looking for a safe internet experience for your kids? Then try Happinetz
What is Happinetz?
Happinetz is like a special box that connects to your home internet. Once it’s connected, it makes a separate WiFi that keeps the internet safe for kids. You can decide when and how long they can use the internet. It looks at lots of websites and apps, and monitors more than 11o million! It’s already set up to stop over 22 million bad and grown-up websites.
Here are some features:
1. It makes sure only good stuff gets through.
2. Helps choose when kids can use the internet.
3. Monitor what websites and apps kids are using.
4. It takes 5 minutes to set up with only two steps.
5. You don’t need to log on to your kid’s devices or install any special apps.
6. You can connect up to 10 devices. It works with devices, like phones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs.
So, with Happinetz, kids can have a safe and fun time online!
This post is a part of Happinetz – Safe Internet For Kids
Click here for a demo and get the product from this link – Happinetz
Source ( 1 ) AAP
This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
Nice tips to balance the screen time for kids. Specially, I came to know about the age wise criteria for digital screen time and this information is so helpful for all. But unfortunately, some of my relatives feel proud of their kids who spend all the time with mobiles. They even don’t monitor their internet privacy or online interaction.
This is a really good post on how to keep kids safe and happy and let them browse but with restraint.
It’s quite concerning how excessive screen time can gradually turn our kids into couch potatoes. I’ve noticed my own niece becoming less active as she spends more time on her tablet.
Thanks Harpreet for sharing about this gadget – Happinetz!
It seems like something tailormade to keep our kids safe from harmful websites when using the internet. Keeping the kids safe is a real concern when they have the need and the access to intranet every day
Very helpful tips Jeet. Specially age appropriate screen time. Sometimes I feel guilty but have to give screen time to complete my basic task. As a nuclear family you have to take help of screen. But yes sometimes only. I would love to take demo of Happynetz.
Monitoring screentime of kids has always been a headache for me. As you said having a proper set of rules is imperative in this era of digital upsurge. The tips that you have shared are all much helpful to the mothers of Teens and preteens especially.
It is a scary time when our kids are slowly getting addicted to screens. In such a time it has become tough to handle their usage. It is aboon to have something that enables us in monitoring then from one place
Screen time have alot of concerns, I like the suggestions given here. It a habit that needs to be corrected.
This story fits with how parents really are today. We can’t just ignore technology, but we need to find a good mix for our kids. Thanks for telling us about these ways to keep our kids safe online. As parents, we do play a very important part in helping them figure out how to use technology. Here’s to raising a generation that knows how to combine the real and virtual worlds for their overall growth. Many parents don’t stop to check what their kids are doing online. For example, my daughter’s friend calls and texts her every minute (on my mobile), which really bothers me. At the age of 9, they have their personal mobile.
I was reading that eyesight issues are on the rise. We are always onscreen and need to become examples of being offscreen for kids. It’s important to regulate their watch time, digital use and also their content consumption. Excess of anything leads to more issues.
This is a very serious and need of the hour topic Harjeet. I’m so glad you chose this to write on. I totally agree with all the negative effects of excessive screen time n how some parents give devices to their children just so that they don’t bother them… I have done that too but I realized that it’s wrong n stopped it. I will explore this option of Happinetz… looks like it’s a must have. Thank you for sharing that info.
I so agree, kids are exposed to many things which are not age appropriate and needs adults supervision to them. Glad that now internet can be locked from parents devices. I use youtube kids for them to watch
Your article provides a comprehensive guide for parents in navigating the digital landscape with their children. The tips are practical and crucial in ensuring a balanced approach to screen time. Well-researched and valuable insights for today’s tech-driven parenting challenges.
You are absolutely right. We cannot shut our eyes on technology. We just need to make sure we use it correctly. I think we as parents were luckier because there was barely any TV also when my kids were younger.
I love reading your tips and would surely apply them with my daughters. As they get older, they try to test my patience and start to think smarter than me when it comes to having more screen time. haha… I guess that’s one thing parents nowadays would have to really deal with but knowing they’re safe online is another thing. This is much more important.
Harjeet Ji that is a fantastic and useful post on how to make children balance their time online. Thank you for putting down the use of Happynetz. This is so well written. ✨✨✨✨
As a mother I was scared when I witnessed the way my son was getting inclined to internet use with increased screen time. Being a toddler it was quite difficult for us to make him understand that screen-time can effect his well-being which will be visible in the later part of his life. Right that moment Happinetz came to my life like a saviour and it assured that my kid is safe online. Technology advanced a lot and have both pros and cons which we cant ignore. But how to take advantage of technology smartly is all that is important and we as parents need to stay alert as kids safety and security online is in our hands.
Nice advice for balancing children’s screen usage. I learned specifically about the age-specific standards for digital screen time, and this knowledge is very beneficial to everyone. Its a nice read for sure.
Happinetz is a saviour for us parents to young children. The cyber world is big and wild and while we can’t stop our kids from venturing into this scary world, we can definitely protect them! This is the easiest way to do so!
Well written. Thank you.
As the technology advances, new godets and internet has literally taken over the world. Not just kids but we adults are affected by it with increased screen time. As is in offices we are stuck to the screens and rest of the day with our Phones. Keeping kids away from this is a difficult task. Great guide you have jotted down some good practices.
A couple of decades back, it was TV. These days, it is mobile phones. Technology has its advantages but it shouldn’t rule our lives. I barely see kids playing outside. That is really disturbing.
This is so relevant. No matter how much we read and write about safe viewing, we are still only at the tip of the iceberg. As kids grow, they find new ways to watch without our knowledge. But in my home, one thing is, I know what my kid watches, and hence to some extent, I know he is safe. Thanks for this post and bringing this topic to the fore once again.
New to this screen time and didn’t know about the age appropriate time for screen. We don’t have any particular screen time apart from Sundays. We all watch a movie together only on Sundays and nobody in our home watch TV on any other day. I had started when we had our first child. I myself don’t watch TV except for Sundays, this led to my kids not asking for any screen time on Weekdays.
It freaks me out every time i see so-called videos for kids and have topics that are unsuitable for young age. Much needed post and I am gonna bookmark this for future use.
I agree with all your points. It’s so important to keep a record on kid’s screen time and giving them the appropriate content as per their age.
I am sure happinetz gonna play a beneficial tole for both the kids and the parents in the digital world.
Jeet, your tips are incredibly valuable, particularly the advice on age-appropriate screen time. There are moments when I wrestle with a sense of guilt, but in reality, screens have become a necessary tool for managing essential tasks in our small family unit. However, it’s crucial to exercise restraint and use them sparingly. I’m genuinely interested in experiencing a demo of Happynetz.
Believe me the impact of screen and watching whatever they want is so disturbing. They face the language issues too as the language used in videos is totally different in our surroundings. This leads to confusion. Your tips need to be followed.
A very important and Happinetz seems a worthy solution!