How to manage screen time during summer holidays

Summer holidays are an ideal time for children to relax, play, travel, and enjoy time with their families. However, with too much free time and no pressure of school, children are found to spend maximum time with mobile phones, tablets, TVs, and video games.

Though it is impossible to avoid these modern technologies, too much screen time can also cause health hazards. Parents are in a dilemma of how to balance these with discipline during summer vacations. Managing screen time is not about completely avoiding these technologies but finding a healthy balance between screen time and real-life activities. Here are some practical ways parents can manage their children’s screen time during summer vacations.

Set a daily screen time limit

One of the best ways to manage screen time during summer vacations is to set a daily limit. Instead of giving free access to screen time, parents can decide on a daily time limit. Parents can allow their children to access screen time only for a certain number of hours in a day. Parents can allow only one or two hours of screen time in a day. This way, children can also learn discipline and time management skills. It is also important to explain to them why it is necessary to restrict screen time.

Parents can also explain to their children that if they spend more time on screen time, they may suffer from certain health hazards, such as eye problems. Parents can also plan a routine of activities that include studying, playing, screen time, etc., in order to inculcate healthy habits in their children during summer vacation.

Encourage outdoor and physical activities

The summer holidays are the ideal time for children to play outside, ride bicycles, swim, or play sports with their friends.

Physical activities not only keep children physically healthy but also reduce the usage of mobile phones and television. Parents can encourage children to play sports like cricket, football, skipping, or even gardening. Children can even go for a walk in the evenings. Physical activities not only improve the physical, social, and emotional well-being of children but also increase their confidence.

When children are engaged in fun activities, they will not have time to use mobile phones or watch television.

Parents can even plan a weekend outing or a picnic for their children so that they can be physically active and create happy holiday memories.

Introduce creative hobbies and learning activities

Another way of reducing the usage of mobile phones and television for children is to introduce creative hobbies. Summer holidays are the ideal time for children to learn drawing, painting, dancing, music, reading storybooks, puzzles, craft work, or even cooking. The parent can even encourage children to maintain a summer diary, where they write about their daily activities, thoughts, and experiences.

When children are engaged in learning new hobbies, they will not have time to use mobile phones.

Children will even learn new skills and become creative. When children are engaged in learning new hobbies, they will not have time for mobile phones.

Create screen-free family time

Family time is also significant during holidays. Parents should ensure that there is no screen time during that time. Parents can engage their children in playing games, storytelling, cooking, watching movies at a specific time, or talking with them and sharing their experiences.

Eating food with no screen time, either mobile phones or television, is also a good practice. Parents should also limit their screen time.

Parents spending time with their children also encourages them to develop the same screen-free habit.

Be a role model and follow the same rules

Children learn a lot from what parents do, not from what parents say. So, parents need to be role models and implement the same rules for themselves. For example, if parents are always on their phones, children will also want to be on their phones. So, parents need to keep their phones away and instead read books, have conversations, and do activities. Parents can even implement a rule of “no phone before bedtime” for the entire family, so that everyone gets proper sleep.

When parents implement the same rules for themselves, children will consider it a healthy lifestyle.