SCREEN-TIME STRATEGIES
HOWTO SET A FAMILY MEDIA USE PLAN
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.
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. EXPLORING THE NEXT BEST THING GETTING INVOLVED WITH ACTIVITIES YOU LOVE Hobbies give people a chance to indulge in the activities they enjoy. The best part of these leisure activities is that you don’t have to stick to one thing, and you can switch frequently. Your hobbies will change as you grow and as your interests veer from one activity to the next. If you’ve found that your hobbies are in this shifting state, then January, National Hobby Month, is the perfect time to start exploring a new and exciting one. START WITH THE BASICS. Finding a new interest is all about what you enjoy. Take some time to think about an activity you relish but might not consider a hobby — there might be plenty of ways to turn it into one. If you’re someone who enjoys watching sports, try joining a team in your area. Or, if you love spending time with your dog, volunteer at a rescue organization to help other four-legged friends. By playing to your interests, you’ll find an activity you’ll love in no time. RESURRECT AN OLD HOBBY. Look back at what you liked doing as a kid. Was it painting, playing pretend, or writing fantastic stories? These are all things that can be revived into a fun hobby as an adult. Look for any local classes fitting
those interests that you can participate in regularly. You might be surprised to find that you still enjoy the activities you loved when you were younger. GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR. If you’re having a hard time coming up with something new to do, make a list of everything you’ve ever wanted to try and do them. It never hurts to try, and by throwing yourself into each possibility, you’re giving yourself a chance to find that exciting new thing you’ll love. Keep an eye out to how you respond to each. If you realize you absolutely dislike the activity after you try it, then you’ve learned a little about yourself, and you don’t have to continue pursuing it.
Take some time in this new year and discover an activity you can put your passion into. You never know where it may lead!
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