The Screen Time Blues
Smart phones and tablets and TVs…oh my! Screen time is at an all-time high for so many families out there. It is such a hot topic these days – how much screen time is the right amount for kids? I’ve thought long and hard about this question, and for me, the answer has a couple of parts.
The first part of the answer is to go with your pediatricians recommended amount of screen time based on age. There are lots of resources out there (please do ask your kiddos doctor), but if you want a quick read and good guidelines – click HERE. My guess is you will be shocked at how low the recommended amount of time really is – and how fast and easy it is to surpass it!
The second part of the answer is based on your own family and kid(s). The reason I say this is because each family, and each kid, is so different. We use screen time as a special treat for learning during “down time”, and for what I lovingly call “out in public emergencies” – if we’re out to dinner, on an airplane, etc. We love to watch educational shows and movies with the kids about animals, adventure loving characters, and more. It teaches them new things and really stimulates a lot of new conversation. They love to ask questions during and after what we watch with them – which is a lot of fun!
As for the times we use screen time when we’re out – it’s scarce and rare but does happen when necessary. Do I pull out the tablet right away and plug in my kids? Nope! I start with snacks, activity books, coloring, puzzles, etc. Screen time in those cases is literally if one or both kids is tired and starting to meltdown. Other people are around and trying to enjoy themselves, and I want to help make the situation better for us all.
That being said, we have a ZERO screen time policy in our home during the week. That means from Monday morning until Friday afternoon there is no screen time at all (games included). We made that choice based on our own kids and how we feel it effects their behavior during the week. Friday evenings we do “movie night” with the kids. It’s a treat that we all look forward to. We pop popcorn, snuggle up on the couch as a family, and watch something fun together. It’s always something that is appropriate for the kids – and it’s a bonus if we enjoy it as parents. 🙂 We try hard to make it something fun that the kids will not only enjoy in the moment, but that we can reference throughout the weekend with other activities.
How do I pick what they watch? Good question. There is a ton of content out there for kids that is fantastic! There’s even more truly terrible content out there, so be careful! I am very picky about the content my kids watch. I want it to be age appropriate, educational, and fun! I want my kids to connect with the characters and come away from the show having learned something – or even wanting to use their imaginations to play out the show they just watched!
What I don’t want is my kids being exposed to negative words or fighting, watching shows with adult undertones, or turning into couch potatoes. Sometimes a show looks age appropriate based on the characters or initial image – but it really is NOT. I’ve learned to never trust the look of the show – and always watch it with them before I really know the content. It can be frustrating given how much we juggle as parents. Being a super busy parent, I really need shows that I can trust for my family.
KIDS CENTRAL has been a huge help in that department. With the backing on Common Sense media, the content on KIDS CENTRAL has not only been reviewed, but it has been rated and approved in several categories. They are taking a lot of the work off my plate when it comes to reviewing content for my kids. I still watch with them to get a sense of the show – but I’ve gotten to know their content and really know I can trust it!
My favorite show as of now is Kit and Kate. It falls under the age 3+ category, which is perfect since my kids are 3 and 5. The big brother and little sister remind me of my own kids – the way they interact and play. I absolutely love the positive message that the kids learn within each episode, and how they are always on a new adventure. It’s colorful, fun and really engaging!
Kids have a wonderful sense of adventure – and limiting screen time to shows that help foster that is key. Watching shows on KIDS CENTRAL has been great because they are colorful, age appropriate, and really fun! My kids can get to know the characters and the adventures they love to go on, and when the show is over, we can continue the fun with our own adventure! A scavenger hunt, building a fort and pretending it’s a ship, drawing pictures what we would see if we were in a submarine…the options are endless!
At the end of the day – you want what is best for your family and know your kid(s) better than anyone, right? You know how much screen time works for your family, what types of content work for your kid(s), and have the power to pick it for them. If we can simplify that a bit with the help of great resources like KIDS CENTRAL – then I think it’s a win for everyone. Less stress and more fun all around!
I hope this has been helpful, given you some new information, and maybe even inspired you to look at content and screen time in a new way. Please reach out with questions, your own thoughts, and things you do to make screen time a really positive experience. Now – I’m off for another adventure with my littles! 🙂 Please visit us on Instagram and have a great day!
About The Author
Chirag Diyora
Smart phones and tablets and TVs…oh my! Screen time is at an all-time high for so many families out there. It is such a hot topic these days – how much screen time is the right amount for kids? I’ve thought long and hard about this question, and for me, the answer has a couple of parts.
The first part of the answer is to go with your pediatricians recommended amount of screen time based on age. There are lots of resources out there (please do ask your kiddos doctor), but if you want a quick read and good guidelines – click HERE. My guess is you will be shocked at how low the recommended amount of time really is – and how fast and easy it is to surpass it!
The second part of the answer is based on your own family and kid(s). The reason I say this is because each family, and each kid, is so different. We use screen time as a special treat for learning during “down time”, and for what I lovingly call “out in public emergencies” – if we’re out to dinner, on an airplane, etc. We love to watch educational shows and movies with the kids about animals, adventure loving characters, and more. It teaches them new things and really stimulates a lot of new conversation. They love to ask questions during and after what we watch with them – which is a lot of fun!
As for the times we use screen time when we’re out – it’s scarce and rare but does happen when necessary. Do I pull out the tablet right away and plug in my kids? Nope! I start with snacks, activity books, coloring, puzzles, etc. Screen time in those cases is literally if one or both kids is tired and starting to meltdown. Other people are around and trying to enjoy themselves, and I want to help make the situation better for us all.
That being said, we have a ZERO screen time policy in our home during the week. That means from Monday morning until Friday afternoon there is no screen time at all (games included). We made that choice based on our own kids and how we feel it effects their behavior during the week. Friday evenings we do “movie night” with the kids. It’s a treat that we all look forward to. We pop popcorn, snuggle up on the couch as a family, and watch something fun together. It’s always something that is appropriate for the kids – and it’s a bonus if we enjoy it as parents. 🙂 We try hard to make it something fun that the kids will not only enjoy in the moment, but that we can reference throughout the weekend with other activities.
How do I pick what they watch? Good question. There is a ton of content out there for kids that is fantastic! There’s even more truly terrible content out there, so be careful! I am very picky about the content my kids watch. I want it to be age appropriate, educational, and fun! I want my kids to connect with the characters and come away from the show having learned something – or even wanting to use their imaginations to play out the show they just watched!
What I don’t want is my kids being exposed to negative words or fighting, watching shows with adult undertones, or turning into couch potatoes. Sometimes a show looks age appropriate based on the characters or initial image – but it really is NOT. I’ve learned to never trust the look of the show – and always watch it with them before I really know the content. It can be frustrating given how much we juggle as parents. Being a super busy parent, I really need shows that I can trust for my family.
KIDS CENTRAL has been a huge help in that department. With the backing on Common Sense media, the content on KIDS CENTRAL has not only been reviewed, but it has been rated and approved in several categories. They are taking a lot of the work off my plate when it comes to reviewing content for my kids. I still watch with them to get a sense of the show – but I’ve gotten to know their content and really know I can trust it!
My favorite show as of now is Kit and Kate. It falls under the age 3+ category, which is perfect since my kids are 3 and 5. The big brother and little sister remind me of my own kids – the way they interact and play. I absolutely love the positive message that the kids learn within each episode, and how they are always on a new adventure. It’s colorful, fun and really engaging!
Kids have a wonderful sense of adventure – and limiting screen time to shows that help foster that is key. Watching shows on KIDS CENTRAL has been great because they are colorful, age appropriate, and really fun! My kids can get to know the characters and the adventures they love to go on, and when the show is over, we can continue the fun with our own adventure! A scavenger hunt, building a fort and pretending it’s a ship, drawing pictures what we would see if we were in a submarine…the options are endless!
At the end of the day – you want what is best for your family and know your kid(s) better than anyone, right? You know how much screen time works for your family, what types of content work for your kid(s), and have the power to pick it for them. If we can simplify that a bit with the help of great resources like KIDS CENTRAL – then I think it’s a win for everyone. Less stress and more fun all around!
I hope this has been helpful, given you some new information, and maybe even inspired you to look at content and screen time in a new way. Please reach out with questions, your own thoughts, and things you do to make screen time a really positive experience. Now – I’m off for another adventure with my littles! 🙂 Please visit us on Instagram and have a great day!
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Smart phones and tablets and TVs…oh my! Screen time is at an all-time high for so many families out there. It is such a hot topic these days – how much screen time is the right amount for kids? I’ve thought long and hard about this question, and for me, the answer has a couple of parts.
The first part of the answer is to go with your pediatricians recommended amount of screen time based on age. There are lots of resources out there (please do ask your kiddos doctor), but if you want a quick read and good guidelines – click HERE. My guess is you will be shocked at how low the recommended amount of time really is – and how fast and easy it is to surpass it!
The second part of the answer is based on your own family and kid(s). The reason I say this is because each family, and each kid, is so different. We use screen time as a special treat for learning during “down time”, and for what I lovingly call “out in public emergencies” – if we’re out to dinner, on an airplane, etc. We love to watch educational shows and movies with the kids about animals, adventure loving characters, and more. It teaches them new things and really stimulates a lot of new conversation. They love to ask questions during and after what we watch with them – which is a lot of fun!
As for the times we use screen time when we’re out – it’s scarce and rare but does happen when necessary. Do I pull out the tablet right away and plug in my kids? Nope! I start with snacks, activity books, coloring, puzzles, etc. Screen time in those cases is literally if one or both kids is tired and starting to meltdown. Other people are around and trying to enjoy themselves, and I want to help make the situation better for us all.
That being said, we have a ZERO screen time policy in our home during the week. That means from Monday morning until Friday afternoon there is no screen time at all (games included). We made that choice based on our own kids and how we feel it effects their behavior during the week. Friday evenings we do “movie night” with the kids. It’s a treat that we all look forward to. We pop popcorn, snuggle up on the couch as a family, and watch something fun together. It’s always something that is appropriate for the kids – and it’s a bonus if we enjoy it as parents. 🙂 We try hard to make it something fun that the kids will not only enjoy in the moment, but that we can reference throughout the weekend with other activities.
How do I pick what they watch? Good question. There is a ton of content out there for kids that is fantastic! There’s even more truly terrible content out there, so be careful! I am very picky about the content my kids watch. I want it to be age appropriate, educational, and fun! I want my kids to connect with the characters and come away from the show having learned something – or even wanting to use their imaginations to play out the show they just watched!
What I don’t want is my kids being exposed to negative words or fighting, watching shows with adult undertones, or turning into couch potatoes. Sometimes a show looks age appropriate based on the characters or initial image – but it really is NOT. I’ve learned to never trust the look of the show – and always watch it with them before I really know the content. It can be frustrating given how much we juggle as parents. Being a super busy parent, I really need shows that I can trust for my family.
KIDS CENTRAL has been a huge help in that department. With the backing on Common Sense media, the content on KIDS CENTRAL has not only been reviewed, but it has been rated and approved in several categories. They are taking a lot of the work off my plate when it comes to reviewing content for my kids. I still watch with them to get a sense of the show – but I’ve gotten to know their content and really know I can trust it!
My favorite show as of now is Kit and Kate. It falls under the age 3+ category, which is perfect since my kids are 3 and 5. The big brother and little sister remind me of my own kids – the way they interact and play. I absolutely love the positive message that the kids learn within each episode, and how they are always on a new adventure. It’s colorful, fun and really engaging!
Kids have a wonderful sense of adventure – and limiting screen time to shows that help foster that is key. Watching shows on KIDS CENTRAL has been great because they are colorful, age appropriate, and really fun! My kids can get to know the characters and the adventures they love to go on, and when the show is over, we can continue the fun with our own adventure! A scavenger hunt, building a fort and pretending it’s a ship, drawing pictures what we would see if we were in a submarine…the options are endless!
At the end of the day – you want what is best for your family and know your kid(s) better than anyone, right? You know how much screen time works for your family, what types of content work for your kid(s), and have the power to pick it for them. If we can simplify that a bit with the help of great resources like KIDS CENTRAL – then I think it’s a win for everyone. Less stress and more fun all around!
I hope this has been helpful, given you some new information, and maybe even inspired you to look at content and screen time in a new way. Please reach out with questions, your own thoughts, and things you do to make screen time a really positive experience. Now – I’m off for another adventure with my littles! 🙂 Please visit us on Instagram and have a great day!
Age Appropriate Chores for Kids
Smart phones and tablets and TVs…oh my! Screen time is at an all-time high for so many families out there. It is such a hot topic these days – how much screen time is the right amount for kids? I’ve thought long and hard about this question, and for me, the answer has a couple of parts.
The first part of the answer is to go with your pediatricians recommended amount of screen time based on age. There are lots of resources out there (please do ask your kiddos doctor), but if you want a quick read and good guidelines – click HERE. My guess is you will be shocked at how low the recommended amount of time really is – and how fast and easy it is to surpass it!
The second part of the answer is based on your own family and kid(s). The reason I say this is because each family, and each kid, is so different. We use screen time as a special treat for learning during “down time”, and for what I lovingly call “out in public emergencies” – if we’re out to dinner, on an airplane, etc. We love to watch educational shows and movies with the kids about animals, adventure loving characters, and more. It teaches them new things and really stimulates a lot of new conversation. They love to ask questions during and after what we watch with them – which is a lot of fun!
As for the times we use screen time when we’re out – it’s scarce and rare but does happen when necessary. Do I pull out the tablet right away and plug in my kids? Nope! I start with snacks, activity books, coloring, puzzles, etc. Screen time in those cases is literally if one or both kids is tired and starting to meltdown. Other people are around and trying to enjoy themselves, and I want to help make the situation better for us all.
That being said, we have a ZERO screen time policy in our home during the week. That means from Monday morning until Friday afternoon there is no screen time at all (games included). We made that choice based on our own kids and how we feel it effects their behavior during the week. Friday evenings we do “movie night” with the kids. It’s a treat that we all look forward to. We pop popcorn, snuggle up on the couch as a family, and watch something fun together. It’s always something that is appropriate for the kids – and it’s a bonus if we enjoy it as parents. 🙂 We try hard to make it something fun that the kids will not only enjoy in the moment, but that we can reference throughout the weekend with other activities.
How do I pick what they watch? Good question. There is a ton of content out there for kids that is fantastic! There’s even more truly terrible content out there, so be careful! I am very picky about the content my kids watch. I want it to be age appropriate, educational, and fun! I want my kids to connect with the characters and come away from the show having learned something – or even wanting to use their imaginations to play out the show they just watched!
What I don’t want is my kids being exposed to negative words or fighting, watching shows with adult undertones, or turning into couch potatoes. Sometimes a show looks age appropriate based on the characters or initial image – but it really is NOT. I’ve learned to never trust the look of the show – and always watch it with them before I really know the content. It can be frustrating given how much we juggle as parents. Being a super busy parent, I really need shows that I can trust for my family.
KIDS CENTRAL has been a huge help in that department. With the backing on Common Sense media, the content on KIDS CENTRAL has not only been reviewed, but it has been rated and approved in several categories. They are taking a lot of the work off my plate when it comes to reviewing content for my kids. I still watch with them to get a sense of the show – but I’ve gotten to know their content and really know I can trust it!
My favorite show as of now is Kit and Kate. It falls under the age 3+ category, which is perfect since my kids are 3 and 5. The big brother and little sister remind me of my own kids – the way they interact and play. I absolutely love the positive message that the kids learn within each episode, and how they are always on a new adventure. It’s colorful, fun and really engaging!
Kids have a wonderful sense of adventure – and limiting screen time to shows that help foster that is key. Watching shows on KIDS CENTRAL has been great because they are colorful, age appropriate, and really fun! My kids can get to know the characters and the adventures they love to go on, and when the show is over, we can continue the fun with our own adventure! A scavenger hunt, building a fort and pretending it’s a ship, drawing pictures what we would see if we were in a submarine…the options are endless!
At the end of the day – you want what is best for your family and know your kid(s) better than anyone, right? You know how much screen time works for your family, what types of content work for your kid(s), and have the power to pick it for them. If we can simplify that a bit with the help of great resources like KIDS CENTRAL – then I think it’s a win for everyone. Less stress and more fun all around!
I hope this has been helpful, given you some new information, and maybe even inspired you to look at content and screen time in a new way. Please reach out with questions, your own thoughts, and things you do to make screen time a really positive experience. Now – I’m off for another adventure with my littles! 🙂 Please visit us on Instagram and have a great day!