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These five tips aim to help parents manage the unwitting dangers of screen time in a practical and purposeful way.

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We’ve all been there before. The kids are screaming and fighting, the laundry has piled up and is the size of a small mountain and it’s already 2PM. And the kids haven’t even had breakfast. At times like this, tablets and smartphones seem like a godsend. Give the kids a screen to stare into and you’ve just bought yourself the quiet you need to get things moving.

Sounds good, right? Well, not exactly. Everything comes with a price, and in many cases too much screen time can definitely be a recipe for disaster. Specifically, we’re speaking about screen addiction. While you may have earned a few hours of not having to deal with the kids, too much screen time can lead to dangerous, compulsive behaviors that have a negative effect on your kids’ well-being.

Screen addiction is defined as “compulsive screen use that leads to impaired daily function in productivity, social relationships, physical health or emotional well-being” (Horwood & Anglin, 2018). This means that too much screen time is harming your kids’ schoolwork, negatively impacting social relationships, interfering with sleep and causing unhappiness. It’s not your kids’ fault — the chemicals in our brains can be too much for even adults to deal with.

So how do you know if your kids are addicted to their screens? There are 3 main indicators of addiction that you should watch out for:

Cravings. We all know what cravings feel like. A constant reminder from your brain that you are in need of something. In the best case it’s chocolate, but in worse cases it can ruin your life. Cravings are hard to resist, but are easy to identify. You’ll notice that your child has a craving for the smartphone screen when they become preoccupied with spending time on their phone. They’ll constantly ask for permission, even if it’s at the expense of activities that they usually enjoy.

Tolerance. Like any other addiction, your child will build up a tolerance for screens as they become more and more addicted. This means that if they were once happy with half an hour of YouTube, they’ll suddenly need more time in front of the screen to satisfy their craving.

Withdrawal. If your kids suddenly become angry, irritable or depressed when you take the screen away from them, they’re probably experiencing withdrawal. The best way to confirm this suspicion is to give them back the device. If the feelings they’d just been experiencing instantly disappear once they’ve got a screen in front of them, you can be pretty sure that they were going through withdrawal.

FamilyKeeper offers parents technology to help them combat screen addiction. Alongside the powerful parental control features that alert you to problematic online behavior, FamilyKeeper also offers solutions for controlling the amount of time your kids spend in front of their screens.

**Awareness.** FamilyKeeper provides you with highly detailed, real-time reports about what your kids are doing on their devices. These reports show you how many hours a day they are staring into their screens. By understanding how long your kids are on their devices each day, you’ll be able to establish a healthy limit that’s right for the whole family. 

**Set up limits.** Use FamilyKeeper to limit screen time. You can choose when it’s okay for them to use their phones — probably not best during school hours — and even set up a daily limit. Once you have healthy limits in place, you can rest assured that your kids aren’t abusing their devices.

FamilyKeeper helps you become a better digital parent by giving you tech-powered tools that keep your kids safe when they’re online. Advanced monitoring across social media apps and messaging platforms alerts you to any problematic behavior from strangers or friends, while in-depth reports and usage tools help you establish a safe digital environment for your children.  

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Did you know that kids aged 8-18 spend an average [7.5 hours each day](https://www.kff.org/other/poll-finding/report-generation-m2-media-in-the-lives/) on a screen? 

Whether it’s television, mobile phones, apps, laptops, desktops or tables – staring at screens has become a commonplace daily activity.

However, [multiple studies](https://www.janetlansbury.com/2016/11/screen-time-studies-parents-should-know-about-guest-post-by-meghan-owenz-phd/) have linked excessive screen time to issues at school, as well as a host of emotional problems including anger, aggression, frustration, depression. Most worryingly, due to the way algorithms on many sites and social media platforms work, if your child has already searched for ‘depression’, ‘suicide’, ‘self-harm’ and other concerning content once before, they will be fed more around this topic as the algorithm generates content they think a user is interested in. We may have no idea of the volume of negativity our children are being subjected to.

We all know how addictive screens can be – and one reason for the rise in depression among young adolescents (in particular) stems from using screens in favor of other, healthier activities. 

Our five tips belows aim to help parents manage the unwitting dangers of screen time in a practical and purposeful way.

## Tip 1: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Lead by example – if you’re glued to your phone, your kid will be too! Put your own phone on silent or ‘Unavailable’ settings, set your device aside, and show your kids you aren’t attached to a screen.

◼️ Try to have some screen-free times for the whole family.

◼️ Avoid temptation: Don’t have devices charging in the bedroom. 

◼️ Make meal-times a device-free zone – enjoy making conversation at the table.

## Tip 2: Set a Family Plan

Drawing up a family agreement is a great way to get your kids involved in choosing a healthier lifestyle, and understanding why too much screen time is bad for them.

The agreement can cover how much screen time is allowed, which apps or games they are allowed to use, and when it’s ok to download. For example, maybe they can have 30 mins on their Playstation after homework or is completed – or 15 minutes of screen time after dinner.

## Tip 3: Offer Alternative Activities

There are so many other fun alternatives to screens.

◼️ Help your kid choose a hobby that speaks to them.

◼️ Whether it’s an outdoor sport, an intellectually-stimulating activity like chess, or something creative like drawing or painting, there should be an alternative to screens that they’ll find appealing.

◼️ Encourage social time with friends as well – and not those they’ve met online! Forming and experiencing real solid friendships is a benefit for life.

## Tip 4:  Talk about the Dangers

Talking to your kids about the dangers of too much screen time allows them to have autonomy, while still understanding the need for boundaries. If your kids understand your concerns, they will be more likely to collaborate with a family plan or timetable.

Choose any of the following as discussion starter points:

◼️ Detracts from other activities: There’s a whole world out there, but you won’t get a chance to explore it if you’re hooked on your device!

◼️ Blue light: Staring at a screen too long can affect eyesight and sleep patterns 

◼️ Cyberbullying: Too much time on social media can lead to other online dangers such as bullying and trolling 

## Tip 5: Parental Control Apps

Using a parental control app like FamilyKeeper is the first step to helping prevent screen time overload. In today’s world, screens have almost become a necessity – there are great apps used for health, wellness, transport, and education that we wouldn’t be without. Hence, removing screens completely is not the answer.

However, effectively managing the amount of screen time your kids have is the answer. Thousands of families are already using FamilyKeeper every single day to help their kids utilize how and when they use their screens.

**How can the FamilyKeeper app assist your family?**

 ☑️ Set a schedule: Choose the days / times / hours when screen time is available

 ☑️ Bedtime: Make sure your kids are getting enough sleep by agreeing what time screens should be put away

 ☑️ Switches screens off – help find a healthier balanced lifestyle!

 For further information, visit www.familykeeper.reasonlabs.com. 

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In a world with an abundance of screens and electronic devices, parents are increasingly urging their children to read more and stare at screens less!

The previous generation was told they would get “square eyes” from watching too much television – but it was far easier to switch off the family TV and hide the remote control than it is to remove every phone, tablet, and computer screen out of sight – especially when we rely on these devices for communication, school work and business on a daily basis.

In an effort to get more kids reading, devices such as the Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Likebook Mars E-Reader do at least offer us the option to explore the wide world of literature.

This International Children’s Book Day, whether your child is holding a tablet or a physical book, it’s time to explore the world of children’s literature. They say that ‘Art reflects Life’ – living as we are in the digital world, let’s see what we can learn from these classic children’s books about how to stay cyber safe. Happy Reading!

## _Winnie-the-Pooh_ by A. A. Milne

This much-loved bear and his friends have delighted children and adults alike since his inception in 1922.  Piglet notably takes his security extremely seriously, having adopted the broken ‘Trespassers Will’ sign and making it his own.

What do we learn? Be aware of your surroundings! And if you don’t know who is at the door – or on the other end of an anonymous chat message – don’t let them in!

## _Peter Rabbit_ by Beatrix Potter

The protagonist of this story is actually a very naughty bunny! Crossing Mr. MacGregor’s security breaches and stealing vegetables from his garden is pretty unacceptable. He ends up getting in trouble with his mother and having a stomach ache, which just goes to show – stealing (or for our purposes, ‘hacking’), will catch up with you in the end!

## _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ by Lewis Carroll

Alice’s fall down a rabbit hole into a whimsical world of fantasy is somewhat similar to the state we enter after staring at a screen too long, or scrolling through social media until we reach a vegetative state. Too much screen time can affect your dreams and sleep patterns – use a parental control app (we recommend FamilyKeeper) and curb the amount of screen time your kids are having.

## _The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes_ by Arthur Conan Doyle

Victorian England’s detective would be a wonderful cybersecurity expert in 2022 – with an incredible eye for remembering intricate details, Sherlock would be great at sifting through data and finding cyber threats such as Trojans!  We may just have to rely on a great antivirus instead.

## _The Little Mermaid_ by Hans Christian Andersen

The original story by Hans Christian Andersen is much darker than the Disney classic. What can we learn? Be careful who you make deals with, especially through dodgy online sites and pop-ups – if it’s too good to be true, it usually is!

## _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ by Roald Dahl

Teens in particular pin too much of their confidence on their social media accounts, and online gratification. Roald Dahl’s children’s book teaches the true meaning of being happy – and life lessons surrounding greed and morality.

## _Peter Pan_ by J. M. Barrie

Peter Pan loses control over his shadow and it gets him into trouble – be careful how much of yourself and your digital footprint you let loose over the internet. And piracy is never a good idea, as can be seen from Captain Hook’s unfortunate end – so be careful not to download pirated movies or cracked games!

If you are looking for inspiration regarding limiting screen time, setting family schedules, and removing screens from the bedtime ritual, the FamilyKeeper parental control app is just what you’ve been looking for. Thousands of families around the world are using FamilyKeeper to help their children make time for other activities, and enjoy time away from screens.

For more information, see [www.familykeeper.reasonlabs.com](www.familykeeper.reasonlabs.com). 

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Social media platforms, chatrooms, WhatsApp and text messaging, online gaming – the advent of web-based connections is affecting our ability to form face-to-face relationships with people.

Generation Alpha, growing up in this digital world, is being affected the most. Kids don’t make friends like they used to. They use emojis instead of searching for descriptive words. They don’t build relationships like we used to because instead of organically letting natural friendships form, they have the option to stare at a screen from their bedroom. They ‘play’ games with friends online, rather than meeting in person. Previous generations used to get shouted at to come in from playing outside – now parents are urging kids to drop the screen and go outside to play!

You may be questioning: why is this even a problem? As long as kids are happily occupied on a screen, do we need to interfere? Is the quality of a friendship dependent on what medium you are using to connect?

In actual fact, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tests show that 80% of communication is physically looking into another person’s face. Consider the percentage of the brain that is taking part in the act: when you communicate via screens, you use no more than 14% of your ’communication brain.’ In other words, it is a totally different way to communicate, and a poorer communication into the bargain.

Of course, a lot of this is a result of two years of quarantine and lockdown periods, when we became thankful that we could at least manage to interact with others through a digital device. But will it cause long-term harm in the future? Too much screen time is already creating chasms in the family dynamic. Are families spending too much time staring at screens, rather than spending quality time together? 

While the ability to connect with everyone around the world is no doubt one of the internet’s biggest assets, online communication poses a host of other problems. When Facebook invented the ‘Like’ option in the early days of social media, the intention was to add more love to the world – creators never dreamt that not getting enough ‘Likes’ would lead to the shocking stories of self-harm and suicide that have been making headlines all over the world, as teens succumb to the pressures of social media and cyberbullying.

Alerts and notifications have a similar effect. Our brains receive a rush of dopamine, and we reach a state of nervous anticipation. In the 1998 movie You’ve Got Mail, the protagonist famously describes the ping of an email:

‘I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: ‘You’ve got mail’.’

People today feel the same anticipation when checking out the number of followers, the number of likes, loves, reactions, and responses to messages – there’s a rush of adrenaline that people enjoy, induced by online social media activity.

But unfortunately, this need to be ‘Liked’ has escalated so much in the last 10-15 years that it has led to more anxiety and more self-doubt – especially among kids. The ‘Like’ culture implies that if you don’t get enough Likes, your actions, thoughts and pictures are ‘worthless’.

More time spent on screens has also led child psychologists to research how this is affecting kids’ sleep. Kids dream about what they watch on the screen – and if they’re dreaming of something disturbing, they can have distressing nightmares. The way in which images from the media penetrate into your subconscious is sometimes called “signing”, and is considered to be one of the reasons that children suffer from anxieties. 

Additionally, studies have shown that screen time overload, combined with the sedentary lifestyle that staring at a screen offers, has resulted in kids having less resilience than they used to. Spending too much time in a 2-D environment gives kids less time to spend in a warm nurturing environment – which in turn affects how kids will approach problems or deal with struggles. They will miss out on building the life skills they need. Screen time also detracts from time spent doing physical activity, which is a huge factor in a person’s wellness, and mental well-being.

## Building your Identity

If you are aged twenty and above, you may already have a more developed sense of self, having navigated your formative years without platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. 

But where younger kids are concerned, we are seeing their self-confidence tied into the ‘mirror effect’, or spotlight effect – you give of yourself on social media and watch how people react. There’s a lot of social pressure to have certain accounts or to try different hacks found online. 

Ultimately, it’s not easy to say no – but you always pay a price. Challenges such as the Cinnamon Challenge, Skull Breaker Challenge and Benadryl Challenge have all resulted in serious injury. Teaching our kids to have the courage not to feel pressured into joining in with something that doesn’t feel safe is an important skill for life.

Social media, with its myriad of possibilities regarding fake profiles and names, is also affecting our ability to self-reflect – people can bully or troll anonymously, and hiding behind a screen means we don’t empathize with the pain we can inflict on others by simply typing a few words.

## Dangerous Exposure

One of the challenges of parenting today is that it’s possible to have literally no idea what our children are watching – and they are able to access all kinds of content at an increasingly younger age. Let’s set the scene: Your teenager has a tablet – they access Netflix – they choose to watch Squid Games – their little brother climbs up onto the sofa next to them and watches alongside … it’s just so easy for kids to access all kinds of inappropriate content, right under our noses.

Squid Games in particular garnered much notoriety, with critics pointing out that the utter lack of human empathy is extremely disturbing. One could also add that violent video games, which many parents have long objected to, offer similarly worrying content. Studies amongst psychologists today show that too much exposure to this kind of content will affect our children’s ability to empathize and be sensitive. 

Access to these violent and brutal plots and images messes with people’s heads – young, impressionable people in particular.  Without the benefits of life experience, it’s frightening to think that the younger generation will become desensitized to violent content if they’re subjected to too much of it. It also blurs the lines between right and wrong, real and unreal, natural and unnatural.

Then there’s the added social pressure – even if your child isn’t inclined to watch this style of show, if their classmates are talking about it, they will want to join in the conversation. In the past, it was easier to control exposure. Families would have one screen at home if that – and that screen would be for the whole family. Children would ask their parents before watching television. If there were new releases, the cinemas offered ‘parental controls’ so parents would know whether or not movies were age-appropriate.

If a youngster wanted to access porn, he would need to invest time and energy to procure it: he needed to save his pocket money, go out, find a shop, buy a magazine, convince the shopkeeper he wasn’t under-age … It was a whole performance! Nowadays, it’s available at the click of a button.

## Lack of morality?

We find ourselves questioning: Is it a lack of morality that’s driving more and more shocking material online? When huge conglomerates fail to safeguard users: is this the modern-day equivalent of ‘the banality of evil’, whereby entertainment and tech corporations will prioritize financial profit over the well-being of young users? Kids imitate without realizing they are doing it. We don’t even realize how much evil is out there – our challenge is to help eradicate a percentage of that from our kids’ lives.

Recently, due to pressure from governing bodies, we’ve seen more companies take responsibility and add parental controls to their platforms. For example, Instagram has launched parental controls, as has Facebook, after a whistleblower accused them of being more interested in profits than safety. However, while various companies are now trying to change at least one aspect for users e.g. location or screen time, the FamilyKeeper parental control app aims to encompass all aspects, in order to help combat social bullying, mental health issues and online dangers.

## Why do your kids need YOU?

The frontal part of the brain starts to develop around nine years old and finishes around the age of twenty-five. During this time, we learn, we perceive, we’re impressionable, and we’re engaged.

A parental control app such as FamilyKeeper gives parents time to teach their children how to live in this world. It gives them values from a young age. Even if as a teen they decide they don’t want you to have parental access, you’ll have started them off with the right tools in life.

Parental control apps also help parents to understand their kids – what do your kids like to watch, to play, to listen to?  Screens have become the ultimate toy – toy companies just can’t compete anymore with the allure of a screen.

To that end, as parents we may need to adopt an ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ policy. We may not be able to rid the world of screens, but we can certainly make the experience of using them a safer one. An app like FamilyKeeper opens the shutters – it keeps the lines of communication open between parent and child.

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#Screen Time