How to Create a Healthy Balance of Technology in Your Child’s Life

As we find ourselves in the middle of the 21st century, our children are no strangers to technology.  As such, it’s easy to get distracted at any moment of the day regardless of what you’re doing.    Whether it’s a cell phone, a television, or a tablet, the world is full of beeps and notifications that can be a huge source of distraction for kids in particular.

In reality, you can’t shield your children from technology altogether.  Whether you like it or not, they’ll find a way to access technology whether it’s with friends or at school or elsewhere.   So, instead of trying to stop it altogether, you’re better off helping them find a healthy balance.  Here are some of the best tips for a happy medium of exposure to technology in the digital era. 

Set Timers

The first step to setting limits is to create boundaries.  Setting timers helps your child understand that limits are important, especially when it comes to doing well in school.  If your child spends too much time exposed to technology they could have troubles in school.  You may have to hire a tutor to make improvements if it gets to a point of them falling behind.

It may be helpful to only allow technology at certain points of the day.  That way you won’t have to negotiate about whether or not your child can play with their tablet at the dinner table or first thing in the morning.  

Create Routines

Routines are a healthy part of every child’s life.  Whether it’s their morning routine of getting dressed and brushing their teeth or at night when they’re putting on their pajamas and reading a story, the idea is to create structure in their lives.  

Routines are a critical part of giving a child confidence and helping them prepare for the future.  Children who have more structure in their lives are less likely to find themselves addicted to technology. 

Create a “Work First Play Later” Mentality

Understand that technology in and of itself isn’t bad. However, it becomes a problem when it becomes more important than work.  Help your child understand that using technology is a privilege, not a right.  They should always finish work before moving forward with screen time.  So, when they have homework or house chores to complete, make sure that it’s done before they’re allowed to play with tech.

Set a Positive Example 

The best thing you can do overall is to set a positive example for your child.  Show them healthy technology habits and they will follow suit.

However, if you’re constantly on your phone and telling them they should do the opposite, then your words won’t have much effect.