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 The percentage of American children with access to home computers
increased 70 percent between 1984 and 2010, and the percentage with
home Internet access rose 35 percent between 1997 and 2010,
according to research by the nonprofit Child Trends research center.
Eighty-five percent of children have access to computers in their
home, the organization says. Nearly 97 percent of American
households own at least one TV, according to Nielsen.
Clearly, the digital world has become a big part of life for kids of
all ages. With schools back in session and the holidays approaching,
many families will spend even more time in the digital world, doing
homework, holiday shopping, or replacing outdoor activities with TV
when the weather turns cold. Just as parents teach children the
value of self-discipline in their eating, exercise and behavior,
they need to share lessons of digital discipline as well.
As your family gets into a fall routine, keep these digital do's and
don'ts in mind:
Do:
Limit screen time -- The Mayo Clinic reports that too much
screen time (whether TV or computer) has been linked to childhood
obesity, poor sleep, behavioral problems, poor school performance,
and even violence. Many child health advocates recommend limiting
the amount of time children watch TV or spend on the computer. When
kids aren't sitting in front of a screen, parents should encourage
them to engage in physical activity, creative pursuits or in-person
socializing.
Keep everything in the open -- Online activity should only
take place with a parent present. Keep the family computer -- and all
Internet use -- in a common area of the home. Be around when children
are online. You don't have to look over their shoulders, but you
should be aware of what they are doing while they're online.
Take the first look -- If your child wants to visit a new
website or join a particular social media group, check it out first.
If the content seems inappropriate, steer your child away from the
site.
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Use helpful tools -- Protecting kids online can be a
challenge, but tools like SafetyWeb can make it easier. The tool
helps parents keep kids safe online by monitoring online activity -- both the child's and what the child is exposed to. An active blog
discusses the latest challenges with rearing kids in the digital
age.
Don't:
Let kids isolate themselves in the digital world -- While kids
might enjoy a TV show or video game together, computer time is too
often alone time for them. Children who spend a lot of time online
can become cut off from the real world. Encourage children to engage
in healthful face-to-face interaction with their peers, whether it's
as part of a sports team, volunteer group or just hanging out
together at a friend's house.
Allow digital communication to replace family face-time -- Technology has made it easier than ever for families to stay in
touch when they're apart at work or school. Too often, however,
family members rely on a quick text or instant message to reach
someone in another room of the house. When you're home together, set
aside digital communication and go in search of each other.
Skip exercise -- Families that exercise together tend to be
healthier, studies show. Don't forego physical activity in favor of
screen time. Instead of sitting down together to watch a TV show,
gather up the family and head to the bowling alley.
Forget to lead by example -- For all that the digital world
has expanded the influences to which children are exposed, parents
still remain the most influential people in their children's lives.
Modeling digital discipline and healthy behaviors is an important
part of teaching those lessons to your children.
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