Parenting in Digital Age: Finding balance between screens and real life

In today's tech-driven world, parenting requires striking a careful balance between screen time and real-life connections to foster healthy development and meaningful relationships.

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Parenting today in today's highly dynamic digital age is intimidating. Technology offers lots of learning experience, but a lot of time spent watching the screen can take its toll on the mental state, sociality, and wellness of children. Only with the tipping of a balance between the virtual and the physical world is positive development ensured.

The Effect of Screen Time on Children

Excessive time spent watching screens has been linked to:

Reduced attention span and lack of focus on non-screen activities.

Social alienation, since children can choose to communicate virtually rather than in a live format.

Poor sleep, since blue light affects melatonin production all the time.

Technology, however, is good when used moderately. Learning applications, interactive books, and learning websites can improve knowledge and skills.

Establishing Healthy Screen Time Limits

In order to have an equilibrium between screen activities and real activities:

Apply the 20-20-20 rule: Have children look away from the screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes to reduce eye strain.

Create screen-free zones: Identified bedrooms and dining areas as screen-free zones.

Foster activities off screens: Promoted sports, arts, and venturing out into the outside world.

Establishing Real-World Connections

Technology is always second to human interaction. Parents can create real-world connections by:

Remaining screen-free during family conversations.

Reading together in hard copies so they can become good narrators.

Developing face-to-face interaction and group work to become good social beings.

Leading by Example

Children imitate their parents. By practicing healthy screen etiquette—such as silencing the phone while talking—their parents can instill the same practice in them.

Parenting today includes careful use of technology and going offline. By limiting and moderation, parents can guide their children through technology responsibly and live life to the fullest offline.