Strategies to Encourage Your Kids to Use Technology Positively

As a parent, you might get concerned about the amount of screen time your children have each day. However, with so many different gadgets available, it is challenging to know where to draw the line. You may want your kids to embrace technology because it’s a vital part of living in today’s world, but you also don’t want them getting addicted or becoming anti-social. This post will discuss strategies you can use with your children to help encourage positive screen use!

Prepare For the Future

As parents, you want an excellent future for your children. However, since technology is fast-tracked, you need to prepare your kids for what they may experience in the future to be ready and have a chance of excelling in those innovative fields when these changes come.

For example, you can start by giving them a basic overview of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Since this is the trajectory of technology in the coming decades, they will be conversant with these trends.

They also need to know the basics of coding to use this skill in their future careers and not have a knowledge gap. Remember, technology is changing all the time, and your kids should adapt quickly.

Bonding with Faraway Relatives

It can be hard to keep up or have a relationship with relatives in the diaspora or other cities because of the distance. Luckily, technology has made it easier for people to stay in touch and talk more often. For example, you could use video chat programs like Skype so that your children will feel closer to their grandparents or other relatives.

You could also encourage your children to send care packages to cousins like a favorite toy or their favorite candy. This gesture will make them feel closer and more connected to those faraway family members.

Developing Mental Muscles

It is also vital to help your kids develop mental muscles. You can do this through problem-solving and critical thinking by looking at new perspectives or trying something uncomfortable. For example, you could take them on a tour of an air show; for example, you can look at sites like Rapid PSI, where they will learn how planes work from the inside out. Or you could have them imitate a cake recipe from YouTube for the first time.

Advancing Education Opportunities

Technology can also supplement and advance your kids’ educational opportunities. They must take advantage of these new learning tools and technologies to pursue a future career path in science, engineering or math.

You could use programs like Khan Academy to prepare older children for college. You can also use platforms like Code academy, which teaches coding skills to students and is an excellent way for them to learn about how technology works in the real world!

Expressing Creativity

Technology can also be a great way to express creativity. For example, you could use programs like Kippax, which allows children with no artistic skills whatsoever to create artwork and share it with others as well! Technology provides new opportunities for your kids that they might not otherwise be able to experience in their free time!

Become Responsible Digital Citizens

One more way that we can encourage our kids’ positive screen use is by teaching them to be responsible digital users. You can do this through programs like Peaceful Schools or Positive Online, which teach students how not to bully others and their online rights. You could also talk to your children about things like cyberbullying, which leads to severe issues. 

Accessing Books and Learning Materials

You can also use technology to access books and other learning materials so that your children are not spending all of their time on entertainment sites. For example, you could use programs like Kindle or Audible – these are great ways for kids to access eBooks and audiobooks respectively.

Accessing Motivational Material

You could also use programs like YouTube to access motivational videos or podcasts. This way, your kids can find a new passion and learn about their genuine interests.

Create a Family Plan for Internet Usage

If your family is struggling with screen time, it can be a good idea to create a plan for how each member of the household will use their technology. This way, everyone knows what they’re allowed and expected to do for their benefit..

Use Apps to Locate Cell Phones

You could also use apps to locate your child’s cell phone if they lose it or misuse it. This way, you can keep them safe and make sure that they’re not breaking the rules of their family contract. But, most importantly, to ensure they are not in trouble.

Create a Family-Friendly Password

You can encourage positive screen use by creating a password for the family and making it harder for your child to break any of the rules, as they’ll need parental permission before logging in!

Set Up a Family Email Account

Another thing you can do to encourage positive screen use is by setting up a family email account. This way, your kids won’t access any other personal information that might not be appropriate for them.

Set Up Home Rules

Another way to encourage positive screen use is by setting up home rules. For example, you can create a family contract that says that each person cannot use a phone at the dinner table, watch vulgar content on their device, and whether or not it’s okay for the kids to have social media Profiles

Encourage Physical Activity

Moreover, technology can also help with physical activity. For example, you could install fitness apps on their phone or tablet to record their steps so that they can get outside and stretch- this will keep them healthy.

Install Parental Control Software

Another way you can encourage positive screen use is by installing parental control software. This software will ensure your kids’ safety when using the internet, as well as helping them with their online research and homework.

Furthermore, use the parental controls on their devices to monitor their online activities vigilantly- but of course, only if they are below ten years.

Keep Your Kid’s Favorite App on the Home Screen

It can also be a good idea to keep your kid’s favorite app on the home screen so that they automatically get in every time they turn on the device. Kids need to have an emotional attachment to what they’re doing, which will help them use technology more often!

Ask Your Child about Why They Are Using Screens

One last thing that you can do to encourage positive screen use is to ask your child why they’re using a screen. Their answers will give insight into what they like and don’t enjoy, as well as how long they want to be on their device. You could also talk with them about whether or not screens are a priority whenever you see signs of screen addiction.

Conclusion

Parents need to be aware of how much time their children spend on digital devices and set limits. Experts recommend that kids should not use more than two hours a day for social media or video games, and they also suggest limiting screen time in the evenings to an hour. This way, your child will have enough uninterrupted sleep each night, which is essential for good health. The keyword here is balance- find an appropriate amount of downtime from screens so your child can enjoy other activities like reading books with you. Keep these tips in mind when setting family rules about technology usage – Happy parenting!