Dad Tip of The Day: Finding the right balance between screen time and time outside in the sun is key to having a happy and healthy child.
Perhaps one of the greatest parenting debates these days is what is the right amount of screen time for a child. By screen time, I mean time in front of the TV or on an iPad/iPhone. There are many sides to this debate – on one hand, learning is increasingly done on screens at school, so the technology adoption is inevitable, while on the other hand, many kids are not getting enough exercise or engaging people in interpersonal relationships if they are always on a device or in front of the TV.
I do believe that each kid is different, but in general, a limiting of screen/device time is important. Kids need to be active and engaged in their world, and passively being entertained is not always a good way to go for many kids. Time outside getting dirty and learning about life is also key to the overall well being of a child, in addition to a healthy lifestyle.
I personally feel like some screen time is OK, but should be done in an appropriate manner. For example, we let Jacob watch a 30 minute TV show (or he also likes YouTube for kids on the iPad) during morning and afternoon snack, assuming it is a day we are at home and not out and about. If we are traveling in the car, he might be allowed to watch something as well, but it is a rare day that he gets more than an hour of screen time. On the flip side, Jacob gets nearly as much outside time as he desires, which is quite a bit. It gets to be a pain always putting sunscreen on him and going outside, but the inconvenience is worth it to get fresh air and fun activity outdoors.
I know when I grew up I always wanted to be outside and playing with my friends. I do think there has been a detrimental decay of kids playing outside in general, and I think a lot of that is due to screen time and video games.
Just be sensible with the screen time, and more heavily weigh playtime and outside time!
Thank you for reading,
Brian
Hey man good post, it is a big debate -- I'll say that I think we're all thinking like old farts when we worry about how much "passive" time spent on "entertaining" or "unproductive" screen activities our kids are doing. These tools didn't exist when we were kids, so it wasn't part of our "natural" process of growing up. But in my observation there's nothing passive about the screentime anymore! These games have challenges, call for decisionmaking, and create real excitement at least in my nephew who's always trying to get me to watch him achieve some new level and wants me to play with him. Not to mention that there are big careers out there for all kinds of digital applications both now and in the future, so deeper familiarization with the future seems like a pretty good thing! Maybe there is too much, but maybe we're also stubbing the toe of a passion a kid might be trying to express, just when the passion is starting to grow. And the games are social now, not solitary! My two cents, thanks for posting.
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Good to see that you are having fun and quality time with your children and in my opinion it's really great for their growth because they are having physical activity and inturn it will increase the bonding in Relationships.
Yes, we have to understand for what purpose we are using screen and how much time that purpose making us to stick with the screen, if it's worthy then it's OK in some cases but avoiding outside activities and only sticking to screen then that's the issue and we have to keep the balance in life.
Thanks for sharing this post with us and wishing you an great day. Stay blessed. 🙂
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It is a very different world than the one we grew up in. It was just normal that we would spend all our time outside playing and if I was inside I was playing with something there. With the emergence of the device world, our kids are becoming more interested in and crave screen time. You are so right in the need to balance these things. It is important to start this at an early age. It can be very difficult to cut back screen time once they have become overly engaged. Teach them balance early.
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I agree my friend... Balance is key. Take care, and thanks for stopping by!
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I agree my friend...
Balance is key. Take care, and
Thanks for stopping by!
- brian.rrr
I'm a bot. I detect haiku.
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wow,just excellent idea of your child.you sharing always best experience for your child.i think that,its very good thought of every child.my child only 3 years old.but he very likes to going park,rides and obviously gardenning.sometimes he helped me my family work i hope that,your child very enjoy doing her childhood to stayed garden.its gives alots of mentalily sharping od brain your child.but i know your child very talented and first in this generation..its outdoor times for your child time spending playing garden.absolutely,your jacob,s and kendra very cute..thanks to sharing for your great post.very well done.take care yourself and best of luck of your great work..may god bless you.my blessing alltime with you and i wish that, your child being bright future in their life..my dear friend.. @brian.rrrr
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It is true that children adopt this type of customs and it is inevitable that it should only be as you mention for a while this is good as they believe in bonding and interacting with other people.
@calitoo
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That’s why I go fishing and why is his head in a bucket
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🤪🤪 he is crazy, that’s why! 🤪🤪
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My daughter loves "PEPPA" for what she is already learning to talk but I do not leave her for a long time since she is getting fed up with that and for the tv series they help me when she goes to eat because if she does not watch her series she does not eat, but it is certainly limiting so that in the future it does not become so accustomed to technology but it is unavoidable.
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Useful tips for your kids. I appreciate it. Really your kids are so cute. I like Jacob and Kendra both. Limited times playing on the sun is useful for kids but long times on the sun is harmful for kids skin.
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Hello how are you? as always giving good advice nowadays technology is everywhere but the good thing is that at home we can control it for our children the most healthy thing is to be outdoors but with the screens its development is also stimulated
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Hello friend as always great advice you have to keep the children and young people balanced today theology is not covering the truth many people spend more time in front of a pastalla either TV or computer that doing any other things that is why you have to try to educate the children and teach them to be active can use the clear technology that if it is not bad but do not let it clothe them, greetings
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every day i like to learn from the parents, because being a single mother, i have the responsibility only for myself and sometimes it is only difficult to make some decisions, with respect to all the activities of the child, i like to vary, i try to persuade him to play with his toys, then to watch some television, then to help me with other activities, we can not pretend that they are perfect, but i think that giving them the opportunity to do many things, will be a good way to learn a little of everything
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Good for you guys for letting him spend so much time outside. Hopefully he continues to appreciate the great outdoors and can get into fishing and such with you. He's already well on his way to becoming a master fisherman.
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Lucky got me my kids don't hover over screens as much as their peers because I made it known that is not good to do that. They pretty much govern themselves very well on that issue.
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Very instructive your post, especially for young parents who should look for valuable advice to learn from each situation that is presented with their children, I always say that we are not born with a manual on how to be a better parent, but if people like you give a good advice is a good tool, I congratulate you for your father's day and for that spectacular family that you have, many greetings @ brian.rrr
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Friend I agree with you in what you say a screen is not bad you just have to know how to manage time and not spend all day stuck on that screen that makes us forget the world that is outside we can see many beautiful things by looking at a cellular all day
All this begins in the children our children of this time live in a world where everything is technology, that is why you have to educate them to use it with conscience. @brian.rrr
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Wow that's great! Really you are doing very well and very well training to your kids. In this time most of the kids are busy t.v., tablet, pad and its very harmful of them. It's really important to involve the practical life ,if they don't get out will not be able to learn about life. I think it's our responsibility to take our child outside like park, garden and lots of place that they enjoy and it will be help their physical and mental growth. Very good and helpful topics learned from you ,I've also two kids like you, it will be help me lot. Thanks to share and best wishes for your kids and family.
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Such a cute kid 😊😊😊 and you are completely right! Kids have to be active, not only watching tv and playing games all the time. You are very good dad:)
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Good topics about screen vs sun. My baby is 2 years old. Thanks @brian.rrr
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Thanks Brian. My son is only 11 months old right now but this is definitely an important topic!
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definitely agree , when our son was young we did't have the internet so it was a real pleasure to take him to the park or playing in the garden , I think for this generation of parents it must be hard and easy to stick there kids in front of a ipad , so I salute you and your wife for screen time vs outdoor time !
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