Summer holidays used to be about sunshine, swimming and who could get the best jandal tan lines. Now kids spend most of their spare time chatting online, playing video games and scrolling. It’s decreased the risk of sunburn but it’s probably not how you want them to use their spare time. If you are like most parents the only screen you want your kids to be around is sunscreen. That was a terrible dad joke. Feel free to use it at your own risk.
It may feel like a battle this summer but technology is not always the enemy. The enemy is the motivation for being on technology too much. It could be boredom, social isolation or a general lack of other options. Screen time isn’t always the first option for meeting these needs but if we aren’t careful, it can become the default option. Sometimes screens are just what kids turn to when there’s nothing else to do. So here are five things you can do to take control of your child’s screen time these school holidays.