“No more screen-time!” The phrase does not sound so threatening to you as it does to the little ones. As horrifying as it may sound to them, this heart-felt declaration could well be a huge step towards their brighter future.
It has long been normal to hear your child admitting their love for watching television as their ‘favourite hobby’. For many years TV and more recently social media is the most used and accessible medium of news, information and entertainment sourced from all over the world. Exciting experiences and creative productions captured and prepared from the furthest and widest places on earth are all brought on display right to the sanctuary of your home via the small screen.
But one of the most powerful and educational tools that man has ever created is fast becoming one of the most dangerous. Just like sweets and chocolate, if it is used excessively screen time can become a serious problem. At such a young age, your child’s brain is both delicate and vulnerable. It is necessary that at such a developmental phase they get linguistic, motor and social or interpersonal skills. However, gluing their eyes to TV and tablet screens for extended periods of the day destroys this human interaction thus posing intellectual challenges for them in the future. This excessive screen time increases the rate of childhood obesity, which causes kids to be less active in physical activities which could lead to cardiovascular problems in the future. Another great risk, especially without guidance, is that most programmes portray a false image of what the world wants children to do and look like.
If you a parent or a guardian, it’s time to get rid of this non-interactive babysitter and promote a more engaging and fun-filled relationship with the rest of the family and friends. Nothing is as synonymous to childhood as the concept of fun and the following are 7 of the healthiest, most educational and personal activities ideal to involve your kid in this winter;
- As a food-loving parent, you bare a great responsibility in the kitchen but now the time has come for you to introduce your prodigy or even better yet prodigies.
- As winter is upon us, take them to your nearest indoor play centre where safety and fun are guaranteed. Don’t spend your time on your smart-phone but rather focussing on their small achievements whilst you cheer them from the sides.
- Growing plants could be great fun, especially for those who are also growing up. Watching their plants get bigger and flower in front of their eyes gives them a huge sense of accomplishment as well as responsibility.
- Is your kid a bookworm? If not, then your local library is the perfect place to start.
- Think of a place with a history in your local area, then when you get there you can educate them about the importance of that place.
- Introduce your kids to nature by taking them to a zoo or a farm with animals. You may be living in the city and your kids are lacking exposure to animals.
- Together with your children write a story based on your own imaginations. Your child could write about their favourite fairy tale or their day at school.
Television and social media is a great medium but like all other great things in the world, it too must be used wisely.
Date Published: 18 June 2018
