Navigating the digital world with your child

‘Put the Phone Down’ Studies around appropriate screen time (the number of hours we spend using mobile devices) have been inconclusive about the consequences. However, it is being increasingly reported through studies and anecdotal evidence that many children and young people have disturbed sleep due to mobile devices and experience FOMO (the fear of missing out). Whether it’s good or bad, they want to knowwhat is being discussed in their peer group and worry that if they aren’t always available on the app/game they may be missing something important. It’s vital that children and young people feel able to disconnect safely before bedtime, and you can help with this by keeping phones downstairs at bedtimes and setting rules around terms of use. Be prepared, you may get some resistance at first from your child regarding this but holding a boundary will help your child feel safe.

Discuss some simple rules such as

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No technology: In bedrooms

At family times At mealtimes

• All technology charged downstairs at night.

This will be hugely beneficial for your child’s wellbeing and the family dynamic. The hard part is ensuring that you show you are a role model of good practice in the use of technology. Managing the Time Spent on devices When it comes to spending time on devices, it is important to have open communications with your child and come to an agreement about what is an appropriate amount of time on the platforms/games each day or each week. There seems to be a clear link between the amount of time a child spends online and their exposure to upset, risk and issues related to wellbeing. Howmuch time a child spends on screens is important, but so is what are they doing whilst connected. In support of parents managing the challenge of screen time, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have developed five key questions to use as a guide to look at their screen time:

• Is screen time in your household controlled? • Does screen time interfere with what your family wants to do? • Is screen time causing conflict between you and your child? • Is screen time impacting on your child’s behaviours? • Does screen time interfere with sleep?

Open and non-judgemental conversation is the first step in understanding how and when your child uses devices and for how long. As a parent, it’s also important to model behaviour and adopt your own - it’s always illuminating to ask your children if you are a good digital role model.

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