Very often, there is conflicting advice on raising confident and successful kids. Add to it the new challenges thrown by the Digital Age and you have an even more complicated parenting, more so during the ongoing pandemic. Nonetheless, it\u2019s important to focus on balancing priorities and responsibilities between the needs of your children, other family members and yourself. The ubiquitous Internet may seemingly make the job easier, but it\u2019s hard to know what to trust.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Parenting styles matter when raising children so much so that experts can predict the kind of personality that emerges from a particular parenting style. To raise a confident child with high self-esteem, having an authoritative (rather than authoritarian) parenting style is more desirable. As an authoritative parent, you would like your child to listen, respect and trust you rather than fear you. You would like to be supportive, and not be a stalking, helicopter parent. Right?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Managing\u00a0 Screen Time<\/strong><\/p>\n You may dream of raising a screen-free child, but let\u2019s admit it – screens are here to stay. Instead of adopting a binary Yes-No about screen usage, the practical challenge lies in balancing the ideal and the real to find the sweet spot. The ongoing pandemic has upended the social and family fabric, with all social activities from visits to grandma to teenage social networks to tuitions happening on screens. You may like to cultivate some aspects of these positive experiences in your children\u2019s lives like reading books on an e-reader and Zoom calls with distant relatives. Technology is so pervasive now that it covers everything from sleep to study to social life.<\/span><\/p>\n Amid all these technological onslaughts is the question of protecting family time. Experts agree that agreeing on certain household rules to govern the usage of such devices and age-appropriate policies is the best thing to deal with the challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n Some such policies are appropriate for all, including parents:<\/span><\/p>\n The golden <\/span>mantra<\/span><\/i>: practice what you preach to make it a success. And if you need to re-set these rules as children return to the classesroom, you need to talk about it with kids and explain why it matters to use devices with some limits.<\/span><\/p>\n Make sure that besides taking time for family meals and conversations, you sit down with kids and keep a discreet watch over their online life. Do not let them feel you are snooping on them; rather, do it tactfully.\u00a0 Leaving them alone with their devices as babysitters is a recipe for sure shot disaster.<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Implications of Excessive Screen Time<\/strong><\/p>\n Many studies have uncovered the detrimental effects of excessive screen time for kids. Latest data show that children and young adults spend an average of 3+ hours daily on social media. Some parents want kids to have smartphones as a safety measure while others shield their kids completely from screens by removing TVs and other devices. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, it\u2019s clear that parents are concerned about kids\u2019 screen time.<\/span><\/p>\n A 2019 study says that toddlers exposed to a screen time of 1 hour + daily reach their development milestones late. At this time, babies are exploring the world around them and picking up basic skills it by learning words, using hands, getting up on feet and absorbing an unbelievable amount of information.<\/span><\/p>\n Excessive screen time can lead to a stagnant lifestyle, obesity and poor health. Children can also encounter adult content or fall victim to cyber-stalking or cyber-bullying.<\/span><\/p>\n But there\u2019s some good news. Limited screen time with apps and shows can have positive effects. Smartphones and tablets can contribute to hand-eye coordination, language skills and familiarity with technology, which comes in handy later.<\/span><\/p>\n Engaging a child with physical books, conversation or physical games has a greater impact than using a smart device to divert attention. Excessive screen time can stunt these processes and interfere with normal development. It affects the ability to focus, give attention, communicate and develop a good vocabulary. Reading with your child is much better for their development than sitting them in front of a device. With a tablet, the device does the thinking for the child; who doesn\u2019t need to visualize or anticipate what comes next.<\/span><\/p>\n Our frontal lobe helps us understand social situations, sense communication cues and empathize with others. Unless kids balance screen time with plenty of in-person communication, they face the risk of developing a blunted sense of empathy and sensitivity to social cues.<\/span><\/p>\n It teaches kids to expect instant gratification. When a child touches a smartphone or tablet, it responds immediately. Games and shows are highly stimulating, with a flood of colors, sounds and shapes. Kids get addicted to devices because of this instant response. So it\u2019s important to temper screen time with lots of real-world interaction.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finding the right balance<\/strong><\/p>\n Finding screen time balance is the best way to approach the digital experience. Extensive research cautions us to have moderate screen time for positive benefits. The challenge lies in limiting it to a light diet of digital consumption and keeping it from becoming a heavy feast.<\/span><\/p>\n Kids notice adults tinkering with smartphones, watching online shows and browsing the internet. Ever curious as they are, kids are eager to handle smartphones to figure out how they work.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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Physical Development<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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Cognitive Development<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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S<\/strong>ocial Development<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Parenting tech-savvy kids<\/b><\/h2>\n