Screen Time Tantrums
Caitlin on Jan. 16, 2024
It’s hard to be the perfect parent. To survive, screen time is unavoidable. But what happens when time is up, and the credits start to roll? More often than not, terror erupts. In the space of a moment our quiet sweet angels turn into violent lunatics, demanding more and not taking no for an answer. You wouldn’t be human if it crossed your mind to just put something else on to keep the peace.
Here at the tari we get that screen time is a massive thing but comes with a horde of consequences, rules, and dangers. We want to make life easier for parents, caregivers and whānau, and help find ways to best navigate this world of technology.
Today let’s tackle screen time tantrums.
Explored in a recent article, a group of experts trialled and found three successful ways of helping tamariki with “technology transitions.”
Prepare your kids
Pre-empting change is a skill that translates well to screen time transitions. This could look like:
- Having a set time and keeping children updated as the time runs down.
- Giving them a five-minute warning before the end.
- Let them know how many episodes they can watch before pressing play.
- Telling them what they will be doing after screen time such as eating or playing outside.
Do something IRL inspired by the screen
Thinking about your child’s interests to help them move from the screen to the real-world. This could look like:
- Young children could play with a toy or do an activity related to what they have watched. There are a lot of puzzles and colouring in books of children’s favourite series.
- Play music similar to or from a movie or series they were watching.
- Recreate the game they were playing, outside.
Give choices
Letting them have a say and including them on decision making can be very powerful. This could look like:
- Ask them if they would like to watch two or four episodes.
- Give them the option on having a timer or being told when the time is up while playing games.
- Let them choose between series and films and avoid selecting for them.
It’s getting to the point where we need to stop using the term “screen time” and pivot towards quality. Screen time can be meaningful, educational, and intentional, as well as a survival tool. It’s inevitable that devices and screen time will be a part of our children’s lives forever but that doesn’t mean that we can’t successfully parent at the same time.
Check out the full article by for more information about successful tech transitions for kids! And keep an eye out on our socials and website for more tips and tricks for co-existing safely with screens, devices, and the online world.
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