It will always be a battle with your kids when you tell them to stop using their phones, or at least minimise their use, and they insist on still using them. You know that it is terrible for their development. You also want them to do other things apart from playing with their phones. Add to that the possible health impact of their constant phone use. Given the radiation emitted by phones, you do not want your kids to become ill. If you do not want to fight with them continually, these are some of the things you need to do.
Set rules
Before you even allow your kids to use a phone, you need to set rules. It needs to be clear when and why they are using the phone. You also need to set consequences if they decide not to obey the rules you set. Over time, they will get used to these rules, and it will not be a battle all the time.
Practice what you preach
If you do not want your kids to be using their phones all the time, you need to set an example. You also need to avoid using your phone in front of your kids. If it is time to eat, you need to put your phone down; otherwise, they will not believe you because you are setting an incorrect example. It applies to other instances too.
Use technology
You can outsmart your kids by using technology to control them. You can use apps that let you control how your kids use their phones. They cannot use some websites. Their phones will also freeze after they reached their time limit. You need to explain to them though that you are using this technology, so they will also understand why their phones suddenly stopped working.
Ignore their rants
When you take the phone from your kid’s hands, they will most likely tell you how terrible you are. You will hear endless rants and explanations from them. Therefore, you need to be the bad guy in the picture. Your kids will eventually get over it and understand what you did.
Be consistent with the rules
If you set rules at home, both you and your partner need to implement them; otherwise, your child will not believe in the rules anymore. You also cannot make exemptions even when they beg you. Be firm with your rules since you know the impact of continuous phone use. You may only offer exemptions if the phone use is for academic purposes and you are there to supervise.
Do not allow your kids to get addicted to their phones; otherwise, they will not listen to you. Besides, you also do not know what they are doing with their phones. If you want them to focus on their studies and not get distracted, you need to be firm in your decision. It also helps if you buy EMF protection devices since even an hour of continuous phone use could have detrimental effects on your children’s health.
Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/JRVxgAkzIsM
Leave a Reply