Parenting tips: How to wean your child away from technology

Research says that excessive media use leads to difficulty in school, obesity and sleep disorders. Here we reveal how you can wean your child away from technology.

Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : March 1, 2020 10:40 AM IST

Today, we see most parents taking the easy way out and letting their kids remain glued to the television or mobile. This seems to be the trend even with infants. More and more parents are exposing even babies to technology even before they can walk or talk. This is very unhealthy, and it can affect the child's health in the long run.

According to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under two must have zero exposure to screens of any kind (smartphones, tablets, computers, televisions). It also says that children over two be allowed no more than one or two hours of screen time per day. The AAP based these guidelines on extensive research that says excessive media use leads to difficulty in school, obesity and sleep disorders.

Hence it is extremely important to wean your child away from this unhealthy habit. Here we reveal a few tips that can help you do just that.

Set an example

The best way to educate your child is to be the role model. Your baby looks up to you. If you are glued to your smart phone, he will also see nothing wrong in doing do. Therefore, you need to take a break from technology when you are with your kid. Also talk to them about how you use your phone for work. Show them how important it is for professional life. He will soon get the message that this is not something he needs to mess with.

Limit screen time

This may be difficult if you have inculcated the habit of letting your child eat in front of the TV or phone. But it is not impossible. Set some limit as to how much screen time your child can have. And, stick to it. Your baby will probably throw tantrums for a day or two. But he will soon get the message when you don't give in. And, never, ever, give your child the password to your phone or laptop.