Screen-Time Strategies How to Set a Family Media Use Plan
Don’t Get Iced This Winter
Cold weather means cold pipes! While the ground provides good insulation to protect pipes from freezing temperatures, exposed pipes are another matter. While we always recommend clearing water from all exposed pipes and other water channels, such as hoses and rain gutters, sometimes homeowners forget about their outside taps and pipes that may run under the house or in the basement. HOW TO PREVENT FROZEN PIPES While these aren’t necessarily going to freeze during the average winter, cold snaps can be particularly hazardous. The frigid temperatures can “travel” through metal pipes from the outside. This is when pipes under the house or in the basement freeze. If there is water resting in these pipes, it may turn to ice and expand, rupturing the pipe. Ruptures can be a hairline fracture or a complete burst. While both are highly problematic and can cause major damage to your home, hairline fractures are especially problematic because you might not notice any issues for several months or longer. Come spring and summer, people often report water usage and bills are higher than the previous year or higher than expected. When they investigate the possible cause, they find leaks under their home. It can be costly to repair, even more so if there is water damage to the foundation or structure. • Always clear pipes and hoses before freezing temperatures set in. • Make sure all hoses are disconnected from outside taps. • Insulate outside taps and pipes under the home, in basement areas, and any place a pipe may be exposed to freezing temperatures. • Invest in frost-free or frost-proof outside taps. • When not at home (or if you have a property that isn’t routinely occupied), make sure to leave the heat on at about 15 degrees Celsius to prevent freezing temperatures from setting in. Here’s how you can prevent ruptured pipes:
With 24/7 media exposure from TVs, computers, and smartphones, it feels like life is dominated by screens. Consider implementing a media use
plan for your family so they don’t miss out on the real world. Set a Curfew Limiting the time your
children spend staring at a screen is good for their health. Try to keep screen- time usage to under two hours per day. Implement a rule for no screens at mealtimes, and keep all screens out of bedrooms at night. Keep track of the devices by having a communal charging dock in a shared area where you can make sure everything is plugged in for the night. Have a Chat Don’t shy away from warning your kids about what exists in the digital world. Explain to them that certain content isn’t age-appropriate, and teach them what movie and TV ratings mean. Remind them to be careful about what they put on the internet because anything they upload never really goes away. Teach them to be smart with their decisions. Connect with them on social media if it helps you keep an eye on things. Construct a ‘Media Diet’ Take an active role in what your children watch by co-viewing programs with them. You’ll have a better sense of what they’re seeing and can point them toward the programming that’s right for them. Look for educational media choices that teach good values. There are a lot of great educational opportunities on the internet, but there’s also a lot of room for negative exposure. If this is a concern, keep the family computer in a public part of your home so you can see what they’re accessing online. It’s important to educate your children about proper media health, but it’s even more important to encourage your kids to be healthy in other ways. Beyond the tips mentioned above, encourage them to play outdoors and read physical books so they can participate more actively in the real world.
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