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Most parents worry about screens. How much is too much, and when should they get their child a smartphone? Might the blue light be disrupting their sleep, and how do you know if they are addicted? Many autistic children, in particular, are highly attached to their screens, and parents say that they worry about what to do.
There is a lot of fear around screens and what our children do on them. But what if the very concept of ‘screens’ is stopping us from thinking clearly?
For a screen is just a sheet of glass. That can’t be harmful in itself. It’s what’s happening behind the screen which matters. ‘Screen time’ can include socialising, research, reading, playing, creating and much more.
Our children do more via a screen than ever before, and when we put all of that together as ‘screen time’ it stops us looking more deeply. In order to help our children develop a healthy relationship with screens, we need to look beyond the sheet of glass and ask what is really going on.
When parents talk to me about gaming and screens, it’s always about fear. ‘Will they get addicted?’ they ask me. ‘I can’t control my own use, how can a child do it?’. They want me to tell them how to control their children’s screen time without conflict, how to tell them to switch it off without it turning into an argument.
A down-to-earth illustrated guide for parents of children who just haven't read the parenting books.
Some children just haven't read the parenting books. The harder you try, the worse it gets. There's a hidden contract at the heart of parenting. It's the idea that if parents just get it right, their children can be made to do what they want. Manuals explain how to make it very clear to your children what you want them to do - and how to respond when they don't cooperate.
Are you worried about smartphones and your teen? Dr Naomi Fisher will explain the fears, the risks and the benefits and what you can do.
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