Your children are not speaking with you anymore, they’re most likely in front of their screens. Devices like computers, phones and tablets are taking your quality time away… and you have to act. More than half of all Australian families have conflicts and tension due to uncontrolled screen time. Research shows that disputes with children over smartphones and computers has brought down to immense tantrums and worse, physical violence. The amount of time children spend in front of screens is a major concern of most Australian parents. Parents of teenagers, especially, have the greatest concerns being held based on the News Corp study.

A lot of parents are struggling to stop this unwanted behaviour from their children. Online safety experts, however, said that disputes over technology could easily be prevented if proper approach has been applied based on a child’s age and maturity. Old-fashioned parenting is still considered as another solution to avoid arguments where it is basically done by shutting down the devices or internet access.

Moreover, a study from Pulse of Australia indicated that the appropriate screen time for children has now become a bigger issue within families. The most popular device for primary school-aged children are tablet computers. Also, PCs and laptop computers are directed towards teenagers including smartphones. The time spent online with their technologies has greatly caused pressure within families. There’s already more than half of parents who reported the conflicts and tension they have in their homes over excessive use of devices.

Leonie Smith, a cyber safety expert, said that these disputes could create an uncontrollable arguments which eventually leads to physical violence. She also said that dealing with teenager’s boundaries can be a real challenge for parents especially when the restrictions were applied a bit late. Ms. Smith stated that parents should make an effort to collaborate with their children at an early age in terms of screen-time rules to help them better understand the issue.

Furthermore, the Australian Government recommended the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics and were revised to demonstrate further study in the field. The guidelines suggest that children aged between two and five years have just one hour to watch programs on screen each day and children over six years old should have a consistent amount of time limit spend in media. In addition, Mel Duca – McAfee consumer head, said that it is necessary for parents to acknowledge the screen time restrictions parallel to the age of the child.

Here are some helpful Screen Time tips:

For Preschool Kids

• Make sure to collaborate a timetable for technology use
• Become a role model and portray the appropriate use of devices
• Create limitations on the kind of applications they can access
• Proper supervision and have a discussion about online content

For Primary School Kids

• Award them for using the devices appropriately
• Have a consequence whenever there’s an inappropriate use of the screen
• Don’t allow technologies in the bedroom
• Create technology-free times or places

For Teens

• Talk about values and expectations in regards of technology use
• Observe any changes in social behaviour and screen time
• Have a calm and open dialogue about the devices
• Reinforce trust rather than parental locks

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