Tillman Smiles - January 2020

1100 S. LAKE STREET FORT WORTH, TX 76104 817.678.5148 WWW.TILLMANSMILES.COM

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

INSIDE

1

Service Above Self

2

Meet the World’s First Airport Therapy Pig Enter 2020 With an Organized Computer

3

Real Winter Wonderlands Hoppin’ John Tips to Establish a Family Media Use Plan

4

SCREEN-TIME STRATEGIES How to Set a Family Media Use Plan

HAVE A CHAT

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.

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.

SET A CURFEW

CONSTRUCT A ‘MEDIA DIET’

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

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.

sure everything is plugged in for the night.

817.678.5148 4 •

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com

Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs