In a world that is utterly dominated by screens, from televisions to phones, many parents are hopping aboard a screen time limitation train as a way to keep their children from becoming hopelessly addicted to technology. That being said, there are still others that don’t think limitation is the answer.
Limiting Screen Time
It seems to make rational sense that putting a cap on how long a child can spend in front of a screen is a great way to teach them discipline. It forces children to go out and find other things to do, such as run around outside or use their imagination. Instead of staying on the couch, they are forced off of it and made to fend for themselves. That being said, the restrictions should never be absolute and all encompassing. If anything, they should be more like loose guidelines, otherwise problems happen.
Not Limiting Screen Time
When something is forbidden, it becomes almost impossible to ignore, and the same is true with screen time. Ban your child from going to a certain website, and they will find a way to get there regardless of how many website blockers you have running. Because of this, other parents are finding more success in discussing how much time their kids feel is fair and then trusting them to adhere to that. It’s a way to teach them personal responsibility without making the screen seem like a taboo that has to be gorged.
great post. i think parents have to know their child and understand which parenting technique is best for that child… because all children are not created equal. i have two boys who are just little wild animals and it takes me saying something multiple times before they get it or obey. strict parenting works for me as it shows them who’s boss and to respect what mommy says. my hubby is more of a let’s talk about it type of dad. so we always try to find the sweet spot in between the two. if we don’t find the balance then what we notice is that the boys love daddy and obey mummy and don’t like mummy and disobeys/disrespects daddy. but open communication with strict discipline is not a bad combination.