My background in software engineering, network engineering, and immersive online gaming position me as a keen observer of the digital age. I am writing this to aid fellow parents in navigating the complex, often daunting, realm of the internet with their children. I will write these letters on a variety of topics over the next few weeks.
It’s impossible to monitor your child’s every online interaction. These letters will focus on teaching your kids to self-monitor and protect themselves.
An attempt to completely restrict internet access may seem appealing, but is impractical and counterproductive. Children are resourceful; they will find ways to access the internet, without important lessons to keep themselves safe. Furthermore they may resent you for blocking their access to something every other child has.
A more effective strategy lies in teaching our children about responsible and safe internet use. This proactive approach promotes open communication and trust between you and your children. This method has proved successful with my three children.
This can start with PBSkids and YoutubeKids. Designed with children in mind, YouTube Kids and PBS Kids present a diverse range of programs that engage young minds.
The quality of both YouTube Kids and PBS Kids have only improved since my kids watched them, proving to be a safe source of educational and entertaining content for the little ones.
Another consideration is the limitation of screen time. Medical professionals often recommend that children engage with screens for no more than a few hours per day. However, this guideline can fluctuate depending on a variety of factors.
For instance, during the long days of summer vacation when children have an abundance of leisure time, enforcing a strict two-hour screen limit may seem impractical. Yet on school days, crammed with homework and extracurricular activities, a two-hour ceiling on screen time can be entirely reasonable. I find it’s important to be flexible with these rules, depending on the situation.
There are numerous apps available that can automatically disable access to applications on a tablet after a predetermined duration. We tried these, and it resulted in our children asking to ‘borrow our computer’ so they could squeak in extra time.
In addition to limiting the total duration of screen exposure, it’s also important to consider the timing. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the blue light emitted by digital screens can interfere with sleep patterns. In our household, we’ve implemented a rule that all screens are turned off at least one hour before bedtime.
However, this rule isn’t exclusively for the kids – it applies to the parents too. This means no TV or phones for us either. While it might initially seem like a sacrifice, this screen-free hour has turned into an opportunity for family bonding.
For any parents or grandparents reading this – I hope you have found it useful. Next week I’ll write about Roblox.