As a professional nanny in Sydney, part of your essential duties is ensuring the children have a healthy routine. This includes guiding children to balance screen time and other activities. It also teaches them about online safety to safeguard their mental health.
These days many children increasingly use tablets and mobile devices, which are becoming more popular. This raises questions about how much screen time is appropriate. Similarly, early exposure to technology makes children more familiar with and capable of using digital devices and software.
Technology today is unimaginable. Children can now use their tablet to learn, play games, as a canvas for drawing and even to play musical instruments. However, though children may benefit from these features, they must stay balanced and engage in extracurricular activities such as outdoor play as well.
Consequently, children must understand that self-regulation is essential and that there are some controls and limits to their use of technology to encourage healthy lives.
Parents often find it increasingly difficult to determine how much screen time is healthy, especially for younger children. Thus, setting healthy screen time boundaries is essential for a child’s development, which many parents struggle to implement.
A nanny in Sydney can set boundaries for screen time to ensure that children also engage in physical play and other activities to improve their social, cognitive and physical development and emotional resilience. This is especially important for older children.
It is important to explore and understand how to set clear screen time boundaries and encourage healthy habits in children through early childhood education, including parental control features.
Why Children Need Healthy Boundaries and Limited Screen Time
Studies show a link between excessive screen time and numerous health and developmental issues in children, especially at an early age, and screen time can expose them to harmful content.
Too much screen time could result in the following:
- Poor sleeping habits.
- Social isolation.
- Lack of Exercise.
- Obesity.
- Poor eating habits.
- Poor Hygiene habits.
- Lack of interest in other activities.
How This Affects Children
Too much time in front of a screen hinders social and cognitive development in young children, as it replaces activities such as free play and social interaction. These are crucial for building self-confidence.
It also contributes to poor sleeping habits, which can lead to poor social, mental and physical outcomes.
When children have healthy boundaries, they have the structure for emotional and physical growth.
How Can Your Nanny Help?
By setting clear expectations for screen time, the right nanny in Sydney helps to foster a balanced lifestyle for the child, allowing them room for fun and exploration. This balance is more critical as children age and become accustomed to digital devices and applications.
Screen Time and Technology: Positives and Negatives for Children
Firstly, allowing children to use digital devices such as tablets, computers, or mobile phones is not necessarily harmful, provided that healthy controls and balance are in place.
However, overexposure to screens could lead to several serious consequences detrimental to a child’s health and development.
So, let us look at a few positives and negatives regarding screen time:
Pros:
- Educational Content – Many applications and online platforms contain educational content that promotes literacy, math skills and problem-solving. These help children develop essential skills, such as language, numeracy and emotional intelligence.
- Creativity – Many digital tools, such as drawing apps, musical software and writing applications, allow children to express and practice creativity, which also enhances their problem solving skills.
- Social Connection – Though this is controversial, in the right controlled environment, video and text applications can create an opportunity for children to connect with their family and friends in the online world. This is especially beneficial when they have friends or family members they cannot see often.
- Relaxation – Some digital apps, such as music apps, reading apps and even age-appropriate videos, are ideal for helping children relax and unwind. They’re especially beneficial for helping children calm down or take a quick break after getting wound up.
Cons:
- Physical Health Issues – Extensive time on screens could potentially cause harmful effects, such as eyestrain, poor posture, a lack of physical exercise and poor sleep.
- Poor Emotional Well-Being – Excessive screen time could also lead to issues such as increased anxiety, poor concentration and depression. This is especially a concern if children are exposed to inappropriate content.
- Sleep Problems – The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with melatonin production (the hormone responsible for regulating sleep), especially when the child spends excessive time on screens. Overexposure can cause children to stay up late at night and suffer from sleep deprivation.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children aged between 2 and 5 should have a screen-time limit of one hour per day, and school-aged children 2 hours per day.
How a Nanny Can Set Healthy Boundaries for Screen Time
To set healthy boundaries for screen time, you do not have to eliminate all technology completely. Instead, it should be used in a manner that does not overshadow other aspects of the child’s life.
Here are a few essential tips for a nanny in Sydney to set healthy screen time boundaries for children of different ages under their care:
1. Establish Clear Expectations
First, setting clear rules and expectations from the start is crucial. Help the child understand that they can only spend a certain amount of time on their digital device daily.
Make the rules clear, age-appropriate and consistent. Work alongside parents to create a screen time plan and controls that align with the parent’s values and the child’s developmental needs.
2. Know How Much Screen Time Is Enough for Different Age Groups
It is essential to limit screen time to a reasonable amount per day based on the child’s age group and developmental stage while addressing how much screen time is appropriate for each.
As mentioned, the recommended screen exposure for children between 2 and 5 is up to one hour; for school-aged children, it is up to two hours. This will also help the child learn proper balance and responsibility.
3. Balancing Screen Time with Healthy Habits
Enticing the child with other activities, especially outdoor and physical activities that reduce their sedentary behaviour, is essential to encouraging them to spend more time offline. Encourage them to play board games, read and participate in sports that they enjoy, creating a healthy balance.
Offline activities are essential for kids’ mental and emotional well-being.
4. Create Screen-Free Zones for Offline Activities
Another tip is to create a designated screen-free area in the home, such as their bedroom, the living room and especially the dining room.
Screen-free zones encourage children to participate in other activities and enjoy meaningful conversations and connections with family and friends.
5. Use Parental Control Tools for Online Games and Content
One of the most critical requirements of screen time is setting age-appropriate controls for the child. As a parent or nanny in Sydney, you must ensure complete control and knowledge of the content and applications your child accesses because the internet contains inappropriate material.
6. Monitor Online Activity
Monitor your child’s online activity by using online parental controls and requiring them to log in to your personal account. Also, block all inappropriate content immediately and educate your child on what is appropriate to watch and do online.
7. Be a Role Model to Help Your Child Develop Healthy Habits
A nanny or parent must be a good role model. Keep in mind that children tend to follow an example. You cannot expect them to follow the rules if you engage in screen time around them which you’re not prescribing.
Ensure your children know there is more to life than digital devices and encourage them to explore the world around them.
8. Make Screen Time a Shared Activity
Alternatively, you can share screen time. Participate in some activities, such as an interactive game or watching a video. Doing this creates a healthy bonding experience with the child.
9. Offer Alternatives for Entertainment
Whenever your child wants to watch television or play an online game, try to offer them a fun and enjoyable alternative that they may enjoy.
Activities such as art projects, board games or cooking together are fun and bonding experiences that help foster a balanced relationship and are much more rewarding in terms of learning and creativity.
Conclusion
Ultimately, screens are not necessarily the enemy. However, it is essential to set healthy boundaries and controls to ensure the child has balance. It is important that the child sticks to age-appropriate content, promoting self-regulation in their screen usage.
As a nanny in Sydney, you play a significant role in setting boundaries and a healthy routine for the children under your care.
Make sure to work with parents to help the child create a healthy relationship with technology and monitor their progress to safeguard their mental health. Screen time can be beneficial and enjoyable in moderation, but always encourage children to spend time offline.
Balance is Key
Establishing clear expectations and encouraging fun offline activities can help the child grow into a healthy and well-rounded individual with healthy screen habits. Remember that balance ensures children develop in a healthy and nurturing environment.
