The other day, Blogchatter was having a chat session on Twitter. The topic was safe internet for kids. That was interesting and important.
'How would your child react if there's no internet for a day?' This was one of the questions.
'He won't react because he doesn't use a mobile phone, plus he has a very limited screen time, so one day without the internet would not make a difference. But then, he is just ten.' was my response.
How did I limit his screen time?
Thankfully, the kid has loved books since he was a baby. Later, every night before going to bed, we read a book together.
So I ask him to choose. 'Do you want to watch TV or read a book?'
He promptly answers, 'Read a book!' and it makes me happy.
It's not that he doesn't enjoy watching TV or working on a computer. He used to enjoy watching cartoons on mobile phone as well. I don't really remember when and why he got bored of mobile phone but I remember how we controlled television time. It was in 2019, when one day, our television remote stopped working. He was disappointed but finally understood that nothing can be done at that time.
And then, we never got it repaired. At least we told him so. We never switch on the TV in his presence. We watched TV when he was in school or when he went to bed at night. So, in a way, we limited our screen time as well.
But kids need something for entertainment. How did I keep him engaged and entertained?
He loves sketching, so I let him watch drawing videos on my mobile phone for ten minutes or so. We enrolled him in a dance class. He isn't a good dancer but he enjoyed that session, dancing with other children. He enjoyed the time as we walked together to the dance class. And the moment when his father arrived to pick us after his evening walk.
Books, drawing books, stationery and art supplies excite him immensely, so I bought those things for him and he would spend hours, totally engaged.
But then…
It was going well until the lockdown. After that, we had to let him sit in front of a laptop for hours for his online classes. The lockdown went on for so long that we felt the need to watch TV for entertainment.
When he resumed regular classes last year, he was so excited that he didn't bother about TV or phone. He got busy with his new books and friends.
So, he watches TV but for a short period. He uses the computer, but twice a week; calls it 'computer day'. He doesn't use a mobile phone.
So, basically, what works:
Finding ways to keep him engaged.
His love for reading. He gets very excited whenever I buy a book or even receive a review copy.
His interest in drawing. We have installed a white board. So, he is mostly busy with the board and markers. Recently, he has developed a keen interest in maps.
Communication works!
We talk to him, make him understand that too much screen time is not good. We don't just switch off the TV or computer abruptly because, well, the time is up. We ask him to do it himself.
Keep a tab
That's very important. He never watches TV or uses the computer alone. We are usually around. We encourage him to watch children's programmes. Sometimes he tries to watch random bollywood movies, but I ask him gently not to watch and he agrees.
So, another thing that works is gentle communication. I have learned the hard way not to yell.
As children grow up, and obtain their private space, their time with internet certainly becomes a matter of concern. So, please check out Happinetz: safe internet for kids, launched by Blogchatter. It's very innovative. I will keep this in mind.
Happinetz is a safe internet for kids box that connects to your home router wired or wirelessly. Once connected, it creates a separate WiFi which filters out age-inappropriate internet and helps you set screen time schedules for devices connected to this WiFi.
Happinetz continuously monitors more than 110 million websites and apps and is preconfigured to block more than 22 million adult and unsecured websites.
This post is a part of Happinetz - Safe Internet For Kids
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