In today’s digitally immersed world, TV, social media and technological gadgets are simply a part of daily life. Do you enjoy your cup of morning coffee in front of the TV? Is your phone the first thing you reach for your? Are you one of the 4 out of 5 households that owns a video game device? If the answer is yes, then you may be looking for useful ways to limit the same behaviour in your children.
Read on for our top tips on how to encourage sensible usage of the TV and other types of technology.
Set a schedule
Gadgets are not a bad thing, in fact, they’re fun, interactive ways that we can share photos, talk to our friends or tune in to our favourite programmes. However, they’re also addictive. To set fair limits for your children, come up with a schedule that you can all agree on. Perhaps you’d rather not have your children go on their phone or watch TV before school, or maybe they’re only allowed to after school. Whatever schedule you choose it should be fair, weekends are for relaxing so make sure you give them enough time to enjoy their favourite shows and go on their phone, as well as spending time with the family.
Enroll them in clubs
As well as interacting with their friends on social media or playing with them on video games, children should also be involved in fun after school clubs that will keep them active and motivated. Swap one evening of gaming for one that involves a club or sporting activity. Maybe they’d enjoy being on a football team, starting an art club or beginning karate. Alternatively, see if there are any local youth clubs nearby where they can still interact with their friends but face to face instead of on games.
Prioritise sleep
Sleep can affect many areas of our lives including mood, concentration and energy, and as their bodies are still growing, children need a good night’s sleep to fulfill all these needs. If your child has a TV in their room, simply remove the remote before they go to bed, this will help them wind down before they go to sleep and stop them from indulging in TV. The same can be said for phones too, charge their devices in your room to prevent them from reaching for them in the night or being distrubed by the bright light.
If you’re looking to improve you TV setup, then South Wales TV Aerials can help. From aerial installations, to TV mounting and home cinema rooms, we’re on hand to help both domestic and commercial clients. Working across major cities in Wales including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Bridgend, get in touch today and find out more about our services.