In today’s world, avoiding the use of screens is almost impossible, and the need for digital detox has begun to receive attention. Whether it’s a TV, a tablet or a smartphone, adults and children are involved as technology changes and the screen blends into everyday life. But for parents, it poses challenges, especially with regard to the time children use the screen. Limiting children’s acceptance of digital use is challenging. If you or your child have developed some unhealthy numerical habits, digital detoxification may help. This means you need to avoid the screen for a long time. Unplugging technology in the short term is the best way to teach this habit.
What is a digital detox? When do your children need it? When you find that due to excessive media use your child is showing symptoms of some behavioral, emotional, and academic problems, then that means your child needs a break from electronics. This is when digital detox is useful. Suppose your child has gotten into the habit of playing video games for hours then a detox could give him an opportunity to explore other interests. Here are some of the cases when your child needs it:
A digital detox can improve the child’s abilities to read the emotional expressions of others. In research of the detox process, half the group was sent to an outdoor camp where they weren’t allowed to use their electronics whereas other half continued to use their normal screen time. After five days, the research ended, and further both groups were tested on their ability to read other people’s emotions. It was found that the group which was allowed to use the digital services were not able to perform well whereas the group that attended camp showed a significant improvement in their ability to recognize other people’s feelings. Thus, here are some of the benefits of a digital detox:
For many parents, checking social media becomes a habit. Kids often develop unhealthy screen time habits by following their parents. They also tend to turn on the video games as soon as they return from school. If you want teens to limit their digital time, then first you have to develop such habits in yourself. You have to make a conscious choice to unplug for a certain period and take a break when required. These are a few more strategies that you can follow for starting a digital detox:
You can take your child to a camping trip, or have a vacation in the mountains, or a week in a remote cabin that could keep everyone away from the electronics. Stepping away from technology is necessary for appreciation for simple activities, like board games or playing catch.
If you can’t afford a vacation or you have a job that makes unplugging for a week seem like an impossibility, then you should consider a digital detox on a smaller scale. You should consider making it happen to disconnect a few weekends each year.
Every month fix a day when you will have no screens day. This is to commit spending quality time together without using electronics for one day every month.
Stepping away from electronics for a few days can be a grand experiment, but for kids, it can be tough. Though taking a short break could boost a child’s mood and motivate them to get the work done. But as parents, you must keep an eye on the child’s activities to ensure that they are limiting the usage. That’s where you need a parental monitoring app just like iKeyMonitor, which will not only help you to keep a check on the activities, but it will also help you control the usage. Here are a few features of iKeyMonitor:
Of course, it’s essential to be a good role model for children when it is about digital detox. If you tell your child to turn off the electronics while you are using it, then that won’t be effective. Apart from that, you should use an app like iKeyMonitor to find out whether your child is following the detox rules.