Trading Out Screen Time Over Summer Break
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While screen time can be fun, educational and keep our kids busy, it’s important to take a break, especially during the summer. Too much screen time has a definite downside for our kids and their development. It has been shown that too much screen time causes risk for addiction, attention concerns, increased aggression, social concerns and problems with mental health. With screens virtually everywhere, managing your child’s screen time can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. If your kids are spending a lot of their spare time on a screen, here are some tips
Trade out screen time for face to face time, according to Nicholas Kardaras, author of Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction is Hijacking Our Kids; children should be making eye contact 70% of the time. However, many are only reaching 20% of the time due to screen time. This could look like playing family games, putting devices down during meal times and requiring outside play with friends.
Designate screen free zones and times for all household members to follow. For example, screen free zones could be bedrooms and the kitchen and designate Saturdays as screen free Saturdays.
Keep summers structured: no school does not mean no schedule. Develop a summer schedule that incorporates fun, responsibility, learning and activity to help fill in the down times of summer.
Keep it fun
Gardening
Scavenger hunts
Go out for a walk or ride bikes
Hold a game night
Read together
Create art work together
Build a fort
Managing screen time as a family can help foster healthy development for kids and instill healthy habits for the future. For more information on healthy screen time and screen time safety please visit commonsensemedia.org.
The Campbell County Medical Group Kid Clinic provides primary medical care by advanced practice providers for children ages two weeks to 21 years old. The clinic sees patients with immediate needs, such as strep throat or the flu and provides primary and follow-up care for conditions requiring ongoing treatment. Counseling services are provided by counselors for a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, divorce or parenting concerns, for children ages 4-21.
The Kid Clinic is a collaborative effort between Campbell County Health, Campbell County Medical Group and Campbell County School District to provide primary medical care, behavioral health and substance abuse counseling services.
By Karissa Morris, LPC; CCMG Kid Clinic.