Parenting is definitely one of the toughest jobs in the world. First of all, your kids do not come with a manual, and second of all, the rules are always changing. You simply cannot raise your children the same way you were raised, or generations before you, because the world has changed and you need to adapt your parenting skills. After millennials a new generation was born, Gen Z or iGen. These kids were born between 1995 and 2012, and today there are 74 million of them in America. They were born after the Internet was commercialized so they don’t know what the world was like before the web. These smartphone users are spending massive amounts of time online, so parenting them in this digital age presents a huge challenge. If your child is a member of iGen, here are several parenting tips that might help you raise a happier, healthier, confident and active kid.
Wi-Fi doesn’t have to be always on
Of course, you shouldn’t force your kid to live in the Stone Age when there was no Internet. These days kids need the web, but that doesn’t mean it should be constantly available to them. Instead of keeping your Wi-Fi on by default, keep it off until someone needs it, especially if your little one spends too much time on their phone. Instead, use the ‘offline time’ to talk to them and play with them. For example, you can get the best stem toys at the Born cute website, which you can use to develop your kid’s communication, creativity, problem-solving and other skills they will surely need in today’s world.
Delay giving them smartphones for as long as possible
Studies show that about 80% of 10-year-old children in the U. S. today have smartphones. However, the moment your little one starts using this device, you won’t be able to control what they see or do. With texting and apps such as Snapchat, your child can easily be exposed to nude selfies and conversations that are not suitable for their age, and you might never find out. There are no filters that will prevent nude selfies from reaching your kid’s phone via texts, even if they never ask for them. In this day and age there is so much adult content out there that is now just a few clicks away. Therefore, resist the pressure to give your child a smartphone, at least until they are old enough.
The bedrooms should be a tech-free area
If possible, make sure that your kid’s bedroom is free from any tech devices. However, this is sometimes tricky since most children keep their tablets and computers in their rooms. If this is the case, limit the time they can spend on these devices. For example, from 8 pm to 8 am they should not be allowed to use their phones and other gadgets. With this simple rule you can help them spend less time on social networks and break their gaming addictions.
Organize family dinners and vacations
Not that long ago family time was a completely normal thing. However, in this day and age when all of our schedules are chaotic, we rarely find time to sit with our loved ones and share a meal. On the other hand, families who are able to nurture these traditions are faced with other challenges. Instead of talking about their day, their kids spend the whole dinner staring at their phones. Therefore, it is necessary to make the dinner table, family vacations and even car rides phone-free zones. Spending quality time together, and having real conversations is important for each member of the family, not just the little ones.
It is easy to blame technology for everything that is happening with children these days. However, with communication, support and some limitations raising children who will grow up to be amazing people is not an impossible mission.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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