Helping parents reduce their children's screen time

[berry_good]

Some of the recommendations include:

• No screen time (e.g. tablets, phones, computers) 30 minutes before bed
  
• Absolutely no screen time for infants below 18 months old
  
• Less than one hour of screen time per day for children above 18 months old
  
• Avoid screen time during meals
  

From https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/h...-schoolers. Also refer to https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/p...e-exposure.

Personally I think this is good advice, but it's quite difficult for many parents like me who have to work and take care of children at the same time. Sometimes I don't know what else I can do to keep the children occupied so I just turn on the iPad for them to use. 

For many of us, giving the kids a tablet solves a problem in the short term but may cause long term problems that we aren't aware of. So it's good that there is more attention given to this topic. 

Any parents with advice on managing screen time for children, please share!

[yh92]

It's hard yah...you can keep your kids away from phones or tablets for a few years but once they see their friends use phones or tablets, they'll want one for themselves too.

[kxingstar]

It's hard yah...you can keep your kids away from phones or tablets for a few years but once they see their friends use phones or tablets, they'll want one for themselves too.

Yes that's an excellent point. Very often, peer pressure will outweigh parental influence.

But still, the guidelines are useful. Ideally, parents should try and limit screen time when their kids are as young as possible because it's much easier to do so than to reduce the kids' screen time when they're already used to spending hours on their phones. Speaking from personal experience *sigh*.

[membrain]

Some of the recommendations include:

• No screen time (e.g. tablets, phones, computers) 30 minutes before bed
  
• Absolutely no screen time for infants below 18 months old
  
• Less than one hour of screen time per day for children above 18 months old
  
• Avoid screen time during meals
  

From https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/h...-schoolers. Also refer to https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/p...e-exposure.

Personally I think this is good advice, but it's quite difficult for many parents like me who have to work and take care of children at the same time. Sometimes I don't know what else I can do to keep the children occupied so I just turn on the iPad for them to use. 

For many of us, giving the kids a tablet solves a problem in the short term but may cause long term problems that we aren't aware of. So it's good that there is more attention given to this topic. 

Any parents with advice on managing screen time for children, please share!

What if parents themselves want to reduce their own screen time?

[AroyMakMak]

What if parents themselves want to reduce their own screen time?

Lol I know you're joking but I think the whole world can benefit to spend a little less time on their phones.

[berry_good]

It's hard yah...you can keep your kids away from phones or tablets for a few years but once they see their friends use phones or tablets, they'll want one for themselves too.

Actually...I had a chat with a colleague about this issue. She suggested that maybe us parents can try and talk to the parents of other kids in the same school, and see if we can all limit our kids' phone usage during school hours. This way, there's less peer pressure among school children to use their phones in school.

It's just a suggestion but I think it's quite interesting and worth thinking about.

[Autumnn]

Actually...I had a chat with a colleague about this issue. She suggested that maybe us parents can try and talk to the parents of other kids in the same school, and see if we can all limit our kids' phone usage during school hours. This way, there's less peer pressure among school children to use their phones in school.

It's just a suggestion but I think it's quite interesting and worth thinking about.

the idea sounds good if you can spread the word. but maybe some parents still need their kids to bring phones to school so they can communicate? like for picking up after school ends etc.

[kxingstar]

the idea sounds good if you can spread the word. but maybe some parents still need their kids to bring phones to school so they can communicate? like for picking up after school ends etc.

I agree. I think berry_good's idea is quite good but some parents probably want their kids to have phones around for easy communication. And it's going to take some work to organise something with other parents but if they know how dangerous overusage of smart phones are, I think they'll come onboard quite easily.

[berry_good]

the idea sounds good if you can spread the word. but maybe some parents still need their kids to bring phones to school so they can communicate? like for picking up after school ends etc.

I agree. I think berry_good's idea is quite good but some parents probably want their kids to have phones around for easy communication. And it's going to take some work to organise something with other parents but if they know how dangerous overusage of smart phones are, I think they'll come onboard quite easily.

Hmm thanks for the good feedback.
I'll think about it somemore.